Zibvwy  of  <fche  trheoio^ical  gminary 

PRINCETON  •  NEW  JERSEY 
PRESENTED  BY 

Rufue  H.    LeFevre 

3X 


A^  21  195? 


LIFE  AND  LABORS 


op 


REV.  JACOB  BACHTEL, 


OP   THE 


Parkersburg  Animal  Conference, 


UNITED  BRETHREN  IN  OHEIST. 


BY    REV.    Z.    WARNER 


"Mask  the  perfect  man  and  behold  the  upbioht,  ?ob  the  end  e»  that 

KAN  19  PEACE." 


DAYTON,    OHIO: 
UNITED  BRETHREN  PUBLISHING  HOUSE. 

1868. 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2009  with  funding  from 

Princeton  Theological  Seminary  Library 


http://www.archive.org/details/lifelaborsofrevjOOwarn 


TO  THB 

BEBEAVBD   FAMILY  OF  THB  DECEASED 

AND    HIS 

FELLOW-LABOBEHS   IN  THE    VINEYARD   OF   THE   LORD, 

IN   THE 

PARKEBSBURG    AND   VIRGINIA  ANNUAL    CONFBBENCES, 

THI8    VOLUME 

IS   KINDLT  INSCRIBED. 

BY  THE 

AUTHOR. 


PREFACE 


This  work  has  been  prepared  under  very  embar- 
rassing circumstances,  and  is,  necessarily,  imperfect. 

While  preparing  it  for  the  press,  the  author  had 
the  care  and  responsibility  not  only  of  a  large  dis- 
trict upon  him,  but  also  of  the  public  schools  in 
the  county  in  which  he  resided. 

Again,  Mr.  Bachtel  kept  no  journal,  except  a 
brief  sketch  of  his  life,  reaching  to  the  first  year  of 
his  itinerant  labors.  This  made  it  very  difficult  to 
write  a  full  history  of  his  labors  and  sufferings,  as 
an  embassador  of  Christ. 

After  reading  the  manuscript  carefully,  the  author 
feels  that  the  only  merit  of  the  work  is  its  truthful- 
ness. 
Centebville,  West  Virginia,  December  25th,  1867. 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER  I. 

Page. 
Annual  Conference  of  1854— Jacob  Bachtel— his  parentage— birth— early  relig- 
ious impressions— is  convicted  of  sin— the  experience  meeting— attends  a 
Methodist  camp-meeting  near  Frederick  City— is  a  mourner— his  anguish— 
wants  to  be  a  miller -disobeys  God— tries  Calvinism— not  satisfied  with  it- 
turns  atheist— his  wicked  and  foolish  prayer ~ 9 

CHAPTER  II. 

"Brother  Young's  "remark;  its  influence-— attends  Methodist  Quarterly 
meeting  at  Berkettsvile— professes  religion— again  wants  to  be  a  miller— 
not  resigned  to  the  will  of  God— his  mind  changes— feels  he  should 
preach—  shame  overcomes  him— loses  his  engagements— determined  to  lead 
a  moral  life— John  Dorcas— his  preaching— cbolera,  visit,  and  panic— young 
Baohtel  alarmed— his  fearful  dream -. ~ - - 21 

CHAPTER  III. 

Another   Methodist  camp-meeting— leaves   the   meeting   aud    goes    home 
tempted  to  commit  suicide— returns  to  the  meetiug  —is  greatly  alarmed   in 

the  night— meeting  closed— on  the  road  home— day  of  grace  gone— eaters 
a  corn-field  to  pray  -the  struggle  and  victory— he  is  converted— his  great 
joy— joined  the  Methodist  Church— a  Brethren  class  without  a  leader- 
feels  it  his  duty  to  lead  it— joins  the  United  Brethren  Church— is  licensed  to 
exhort,  and  told  to  preach— feels  it  his  duty  to  become  a  traveling  preacher.    30 

CHAPTER  IV. 

Studies  hard— started  to  conference— preaches  on  the  way— the  conference— is 
received  and  appointed  to  Frederick  Circuit— his  distress-preaches  at  Mid- 
dletown— discouragements— the  old  temptation— couierence  at  Hickel  s 
school -houie—  he  is  authorized  to  baprize— sent  to  South  Branch  Circuit- 
large  field— small  salary— conference  of  k>36— is  returned  to  Soutn  Branch 
Circuit - *^ 

CHAPTER  V. 

Incidents  of  the  year- Cunningham,  Richards,  Stickler— conference  of  1837— 

is  ordained— health  failed— supernumerary  in  part— elected  presiding  elder- 
sent  to  Virginia— elected  presiding  elder  in  1*59, :  returned  to  Virginia  I»is- 
trict— again  elected  presiding  elder  in  1840,  and 'sent  to  his  old  district— con- 
ference of  1841  -°nt  to  his  old  district— sent  to  Frederick  Circuit  of  1S42— 
in  1843  sent  to  Hagorstown  Circuit-  attended  the  conference  of  1S44 37 

CHAPTER  VI. 

Returned  to  Hagerotowa  -elected  to  General  Conference— was  returned  to 
HagerstOWO  with  Richard  Nihiser— in  1846  was  sent  to  Woodstock  t'ircuit— 
conference  of  1-17  returned  to  same  circuit— conference  of  1848—  again 
elected  to  General  Conference— conference  of  l'-49 — sent  to  Woodstock  Cir- 
circuit— General  Conference— secrecy— he  makes  a  speech— slavery— his 
views  on  the  subject-systems  opposed  to  Christianity 67 


VI.  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  VII. 

Pam. 

Work  on  his  circuit— report  to  conference— conference  of  1850— his  views 
on  missions— conference  of  1851— elected  presiding  elder— work  of  Stationing 
Committee  changed— the  result— sermon  on  Restitution— conference  of 
1852— again  elected  presiding  elder— sent  to  Frederick  Circuit  from  the  con- 
ference of  1853— again  elected  to  General  Conference— importance  of  this 
General  Conference— printing  establishment— missionary  society— bap- 
tism— depravity— conference  of  1854— is  elected  presiding  elder  and  sent  to 
Maryland  District— at  Hebron— character  a3  a  presiding  elder— conference 
of  1855— Mr.  Bachtel's  remarks  on  the  conference  floor— elected  presiding 
elder— elected  trustee  of  Mt.  Pleasant  College— experience  at  a  tavern— con- 
ference could  not  meet  at  West  Columbia,  D.  C 79 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

Conference  at  Mill  Creek—charges  contemplated— did  not  come  to  a  head- 
returned  to  Maryland  District— is  popular— political  contest— is  elected  to 
General  Conference— opposed— reasons— division  of  the  conference— reasons 
for  this— Ex-bishop  liussel— annual  conference  of  1857— a  division  of 
the  conference  agreed  upon— he  is  appointed  to  West  Columbia  Cir- 
cuit—hardships of  the  appointment— at  General  Conference— chairman  of 
revision  committee— Mr.  Bachtel  offers  a  resolution ;  is  adopted— lay 
delegation— dress— secrecy— resolution  by  Resler— Mr.  Bachtel  requested  to 
make  a  speech ,„ „ 9i 

CHAPTER  IX. 

Speech  of  Mr.  Bachtel  in  the  General  Conference  of  1857 , „ 110 

CHAPTER  X. 

Difficulties  on  his  circuit— ignorance  and  intemperance— his  instructions— 
camp-meeting  on  Leading  Creek— his  sermon— Parkersburg  Conference— its 
weakmsr  — the  necessity  of  faith— Mr.  Bachtel's  report— visit  to  the  Valley 
of  Virgiuia— conference  at  Ripley— a  difficult) — his  report— on  committees— 
his  prayer— why  some  persons  did  not  join  the  church— conference  at  Glen- 
ville— bis  report— missionary  meeting,  Ac. — committee  on  resolutions— 
anothei  difficulty  ;  he  is  on  the  committee— sent  to  Jackson  Circuit— charac 
ter  of  the  territory  and  people— clerical  scoundrels— in  1860  elected  to  Gen- 
eral Conference— Presidential  canvass— Mr.  Bachtel's  position— results  of 
the  election,  &c 118 

CHAPTER  XI. 

Conference  of  1861— Mr.  Bachtel's  report— Virginia  Convention— the  defection 
of  members— General  Conference— serenade  speeches— war  spirit— secrecy- 
report  of  the  committee  very  strong— an  animated  discussion— the  vote- 
why  members  voted  against  it— Mr.  Bachtel  perplexed— independent  rela- 
tion asked  for  by  the  Parkersburg  Conference— reasons  for  it— a  dark 
future— turmoil— southern  independence— Mr.  Bachtel's  course — report  to 
conference— Mr.  Bachtel  still  in  Jackson  ;  why— preaches  for  rebel  sol- 
diers—their  comments— conference  of  1863— Mr.  Bachtel's  report— returned 
to  Jackson— a  quarterly  meeting— a  daily  paper— traveling  circuit  on  foot- 
success— a  rift  in  the  cloud 12» 

CHAPTER  XII. 

Elected  1 1  General  Conference— military  affairs— the  effect  on  Mr.  Bachtel— 
an  incident— Bishop  Markwood,  &c— first  quarterly  meeting— a  painful  ru- 
mor—it  is  confirmed— Lincoln  slain— joy  of  the  people  blasted— providence 
of  God— away  to  General  Conference— Board  of  Missions— what  is  lovalty— 
meeting  of  conference — Bishop  Glossbrenner— a  vindication— debt  on  the 
printing  establishment— how  to  be  raised— theological  training— opposi- 
tion— plan  adopted— Mr.  Bachtel's  views  and  advice— capture  of  Jefferson 
Davis— Doxoiogy,  Ac— report  of  Committee  on  the  State  of  the  Country— an 
an  amendment— difficulty— tli9  vote-Mr.  Bachtel's  position— his  reason— 
bis  dissatisfaction— a  question  of  privilege— Mr.  Bachtel's  opiniou  of  the 
West 1«£ 


CONTENTS.  VII. 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

Pack. 

Church  trial— a  new  mode— happy  issue— Mr.  B.'s  opinion  and  influence— 
raising  niouey  for  the  printing  establishment— great  revivals— builiiing 
churches— a  good  report— his  last— the  music  question— action  of  confer- 
ence—elected  presiding  elder— dedication  at  Hartford  City— Mr.  B.'s 
dream— is  sick — answer  to  secret  prayer— hears  his  last  sermon— reaches 
home— thinks  he  is  sick  unto  death— makes  a  will— talks  about  death- 
death  approaches— his  advice  to  his  family— he  crosses  over  the  river— his 
age— his  funeral  services,  as  per  request— his  character— intellectual 
endowments— action  of  the  Parkorsburg  Conference— request  of  Bishop 
Glossbrenner— resolutions 166 

CHAPTER  IV. 

A  funeral  sermon  delivered  at  the  session  of  the  Parkersburg  Annual 
Conference,  March  17th,  1*67,  on  the  occasion  of  the  death  of  Rev.  J. 
Bachtel,  by  Bishop  Glossbrenner 184 

CHAPTER  XV. 

A  monument  ordered— raising  the  monument— programme— the  audience- 
description  of  the  monument— inscription— ballad  and  music,  composed  by 
Professor  Diddle 211 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

Skeletons  of  sermons,  composed  and  preached  by  Mr.  Bachtel 217 


CHAPTERI. 

Annual  conference  of  1834 — its  character — Jacob  Bachtel — 
his  parentage — birth — early  religious  impressions — attends  a  quar- 
terly meeting  at  Shank's — is  convicted  of  sin — the  experience  meet- 
ing— his  shame— attends  a  Methodist  camp  meeting  near  Fred- 
erick City — is  a  mourner— his  anguish — a  good  book — wants  to  be 
a  miller — disobeys  God — tries  Calvinism — not  satilised  with  it — 
turns  atheist — his  wicked  and  foolish  prayer. 

The  Virginia  Annual  Conference  convened 
at  Jenning's  Branch,  Augusta  County,  Virgin- 
ia, in  April,  1834.  This  conference  was  in  a 
transition  state,  the  English  supplanting  the 
German  language  on  almost  every  field  of  la- 
bor. 

During  the  session  of  this  year  there  enter- 
ed the  conference-room  a  vouno;  man  of  bov- 
ish  appearance,  as  an  applicant  for  license  to 
preach.  He  had  not  been  trained  in  university 
or  college ;  he  had  not  taken  his  degree  in  any 
school  of  theology,  but  was  fresh  from  the 
work-shop,  and  presented  as  a  reason  why  he 
should  have  authority  to  preach,  the  fact  that 
God  had  called  him  to  this  great  work.  He 
gave  his  name  to  that  body  as  Jacob  Bachtel, 
Jr.  And  who  was  Jacob  Bachtel  ?  where  was 
2 


10  BIOGRAPHY    OF 

lie  born  ?  and  so  on,  were  legitimate  subjects  of 
inquiry.  He  was  born  in  Pleasant  Valley, 
Washington  County,  Maryland,  July  7th,  A. 
D.  1812.  His  father,  whose  name  was  Jacob 
D.  Bachtel,  was  a  native  of  Frederick  County, 
Maryland. 

The  father  of  Mr.  Bachtel,  Sen.,  was  a  native 
of  Pennsylvania  and  related  to  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Bachtel,  a  pious  minister  of  the  German  Re- 
formed Church.  His  mother  was  born  in  Ireland, 
but  was  brought  to  this  country  when  quite 
young.  They  both  died  when  their  son  was  six 
year  sold.  Nothing  is  known  of  their  religious 
faith.  The  maiden  name  the  mother  of  Jacob 
Bachtel  was  Charlotte  Koonts.  Her  father 
was  born  in  Maryland, — was  a  farmer — and 
belonged  to  the  Presbyterian  Church.  He  died 
in  1834.  Her  mother  was  born  in  Pennsylva- 
nia. She  was  a  member  of  the  United  Breth- 
ren Church,  and  died  in  great  peace  in  1832. 
The  parents  of  Jacob  embraced  religion  and 
united  with  the  United  Brethren  Church  in 
1832.  They  had  six  children,  two  boys  and 
four  girls,  of  which  Jacob  was  the  elder.  His 
father  and  mother  outlived  him.  May  7thr 
1867,  Mr.  Bachtel,  Jr.,  says,  in  a  letter  to  the 
writer : 


JACOB   BACHTEL.  11 

"I  am,  in  all  human  probability,  on  my 
death-bed.  I  have  been  sick  for  several  months. 
My  body,  which  was  once  strong  and  portly,  is 
now  weak  and  emaciated ;  and  although  1  feel 
sure  that  I  must  soon  bid  adieu  to  kind  earthlv 
friends,  I  shall  join  dear  ones  in  heaven.  0, 
how  cheering  to  me  now  is  the  hope  of  sweet 
rest  in  glory!" 

A  few  weeks  after  this  he  entered  the  char- 
iot of  God,  and  was  kindly  borne  to  the  rest 
for  which  he  longed. 

Mr.  Bachtel  informs  us  that  his  "parents 
were  poor,  but  honorable,  "  as  the  parents  of 
good  and  useful  men,  in  a  majority  of  instan- 
ces, have  been,  and  are  In  his  early  life  he 
knew  his  father  to  be,  in  theor}^  and  inclination, 
an  "  Old  School  Baptist,  except  the  decrees, 
which  he  could  not  be  persuaded  to  embrace.  " 
At  this  time  he  does  not  seem  to  have  been 
very  moral  in  his  habits,  as  he  would  sometimes 
"get  intoxicated  and  swear;"  yet  he  did  not 
allow  his  son  to  do  either,  a  not  uncommon 
thing  with  wicked  parents.  It  is  wrong  for 
parents  to  do  any  thing  that  they  are  not  will- 
ing their  children  should  do. 

A  wicked  father  once  chastised  his  little  son 


12  BIOGRAPHY   OF 

for  swearing.  The  little  fellow  went  outside 
the  house  and  was  crying  very  much,  when  he 
said  to  his  brother :  "I  don't  know  why  pa 
whips  us  for  swearing,  when  he  swears  him- 
self. "  The  father  overheard  what  the  boys 
said,  and  was  never  known  to  swear  again. 

Mr.  Bachtel's  mother  was  Calvinistic,  and  a 
"moralist,"  and  taught  her  child  "several 
prayers,  "  which  he  used  to  repeat  at  his  bed- 
side every  night.  He  seems  to  have  been  re- 
ligiously inclined  from  his  childhood. 

Father  Bachtel  writes:  "I  can  say  but  little 
of  Jacob's  early  life.  He  was  very  kind  and 
obedient,  and  early  inclined  to  religion.  "  How- 
ever, he  had  no  very  deep  religious  impressions 
until  he  was  about  twelve  years  old.  At  this 
time  he  says:  "I  attended  preaching  whenver  I 
could,  and  was  very  fond  of  it,  and  became  quite 
attached  to  the  preachers.  At  this  early  peri- 
od in  his  life,  he  had  convictions  leading  him 
to  the  ministry.  Said  he:  "I  wished  to  be  a 
preacher,  and  it  was  inrpressed  on  my  mind 
that  if  I  should  get  religion  God  would  make 
me  a  preacher."  This  may  be  considered  by 
some  as  being  the  foolish  fancy  of  a  childr 
but  those  upon  whom  the  responsibilities  of  the 


JACOB   BACHTEL.  13 

ministry  have  been  laid  by  divine  appoint- 
ment, are  reminded,  while  reading  this,  of  their 
own  heart-history  in  early  life.  It  may  be  as- 
serted truthfully,  that  if  not  all,  yet  &  very  large 
majority  of  the  true  ministers  of  Jesus  had  the 
same  impressions,  at  a  very  early  period  of 
their  history. 

At  this  time  he  prayed  often,  and  was  an 
earnest  seeker  of  religion  ;  but  wicked  associ- 
ates led  him  astray,  until  he  became  very  wick- 
ed himself,  and,  in  his  own  language,  "  grieved 
the  Holy  Spirit." 

It  is  impossible  to  describe  the  darkness  that 
gathered  about  his  mind,  and  the  unrest  of  his 
now  prayerless  life.  It  is  true  that  prior  to 
this  time  he  had  not  made  a  profession  of  re- 
ligion, yet  he  had  a  consciousness  of  trying  to 
do  right.     This  he  had  now  lost. 

This  relapse  brought  home  to  him  a  useful 
lesson,  namely,  the  feebleness  of  man  ;  his  ina- 
bility to  accomplish  anything,  or  pursue  a  cor- 
rect course  in  life,  only  as  he  was  aided  by  di- 
vine grace,  and  the  imperative  necessity  of 
trusting  in  God  for  salvation.  At  this  point 
we  lose  sight  of  the  exercise  of  his  mind,  or  his 
efforts,  religiously,  for  a  period  of  six  years. 


14  BIOGRAPHY   OF 

When  about  eighteen  years  old  he  attended 
a  quarterly  meeting  at  Mr.  Shank's,  held  by 
the  United  Brethren  in  Christ.  This  is  the 
iirst  time  he  mentions  the  church  in  which  he 
labored  so  long  and  usefully  in  after  life.  It  is 
probable  however,  that  he  had  known  the  church 
before,  as  he  lived  but  a  few  miles  from  Antie- 
tam,  at  which  place  Otterbein,  Geeting,  and 
Newcomer  had  preached  in  demonstration  of 
the  Holy  Spirit,  filling  not  only  that  neighbor- 
hood, but  adjacent  ones,  with  spiritual  converts. 
At  this  time  he  had  become  very  wicked,  and 
being  irritated  by  some  occurrence  on  the  morn- 
ing the  meeting  commenced,  he  "swore  at  an 
awful  rate. "  As  the  result  of  such  ungodly 
feelings  and  habits,  he  "  paid  but  little  atten- 
tion to  the  preaching. "  After  the  service,  he 
returned  home  unhappy,  and  dissatisfied  with 
himself  and  everybody  else.  At  night  he 
again  attended  the  meeting,  and  while  witness- 
ing the  services  he  began  to  reflect  on  his 
past  conduct.  The  retrospect  was  most  pain- 
ful, and  he  was  overwhelmed  with  remorse 
and  shame,  feeling  as  he  did,  that  he  had  truly 
fallen,  and  deserved  to  die. 

These  reflections,    in   connection   with    the 


JACOB   BACHTEL.  15 

preaching,  drove  him  again  to  prayer,  in  which 
he  continued  "nearly  all  night. "  He  decided 
to  reform  his  life,  but  did  not  seem  to  have 
any  settled  plan  of  action,  indeed,  his  life  at 
this  time  was  in  a  great  measure,  aimless. 
Like  a  vessel  without  rudder  or  mast,  he  was 
driven  before  the  storm  of  excited  feeling, 
which  was  hurrying  him  he  knew  not  whither. 

On  Sunday  and  Sunday  evening  he  was  a 
deeply  anxious  listener  to  the  word  of  life. 
The  sermon  at  night,  especially,  was  one  of 
power,  causing  him  to  pray  "all  night." 

On  Monday  he  returned  to  the  place  and 
was  j>resent  at  the  experience  meeting.  His 
sister,  among  others,  related  what  "  God  had 
done  for  her  soul.  "  His  father,  while  listening 
to  her,  "cried  out  for  mercy,  "  while  Jacob  was 
much  affected  but  ashamed  to  pray. 

These  services  had  a  happy  effect  upon  the 
mind  of  young  Bachtel,  for  he  returned  home 
resolved  to  seek  the  Lord  until  he  should  find 
him.  He  continued  to  seek  the  Lord  day 
and  night,  but  did  not  make  known  to  anyone 
the  distress  of  his  mind,  being  ashamed. 
This  was  very  hurtful  to  him,  as  it  depriv- 
ed him    of  sympathy  and  counsel,    which  he 


16  BIOGRAPHY    OF 

much  needed,  and  enabled  the  enemy  to  baffle 
him  in  every  effort  to  obtain  mercy  from  God. 
A  camp-meeting  was  soon  to  be  held  by  the 
Methodists,  on  the  Catoeton  Mountain,  west  of 
Frederick  City.  He  resolved  to  attend  it  with 
a  view  to  seek  the  Lord.  We  find  him  on 
the  ground  just  after  the  morning  service  of 
the  first  day  had  closed,  dejected,  yet  anxious 
for  an  opportunity  to  seek  the  "forgiveness 
of  sins." 

In  the  afternoon  " a  powerful  sermon"  was 
preached,  and  seekers  were  invited.  Every  di- 
rect and  earnest  appeal  came  with  power  to  his 
awakened  conscience  ;  every  utterance  was  the 
voice  of  heaven,  and  he  felt  that  he  dare  not 
resist. 

Among  those  who  gathered  about  the  altar 
was  young  Bachtel,  smitten  with  the  remem- 
brance of  his  past  sins.  He  says  in  describing 
his  condition  at  that  time:  "I  soon  became  un- 
able to  see  or  hear.  I  was  then  taken  to  a  tent 
where  I  revived,  and  sat  up.    I  felt  awful." 

A  "Brother  Powers"  took  care  of  him  in  his 
distress,  and  gave  him  much  useful  instruction. 
He  always  remembered  this  kindness  with  sin- 
cere gratitude.     With  a  heavy  heart  he  contin- 


JACOB    BACHTEL.  17 

ued  to  struggle  for  liberty  until  Monday   even- 
ingj  when  lie  returned  home  without  religion. 

About  this  time  a  friend  put  in  his  hand  a 
book  entitled.  "An  answer  to  the  Questions  of 
the  Jailor,  "  which  greatly  benefited  him.  Up 
to  this  time  he  had  labored  as  a  wagon-maker, 
with  his  father,  but  was  "not  satisfied  to  learn 
the  trade."  He  was  anxious  to  became  a  mil- 
ler, and,  to  his  joy,  his  father  consented  to  his 
going  with  a  certain  man  to  learn  the  business. 
This  mill  was  located  near  to  where  there  was 
"  much  preaching,"  and  he  hoped  to  be  greatly 
benefitted  by  that,  thinking  that  he  could  serve 
God  there  better  than  at  any  other  place.  But 
all  his  hopes  was  blasted,  and  some  unseen 
influence  preyented  the  whole  business  and 
he  found  himself  doomed  to  the  wagon- 
shop.  So  soon  as  he  saw  that  his  way  in  this 
direction  was  hedged  up,  he  became  dissatisfi- 
ed with  the  Diyine  arrangements,  forgot  his 
call  to  the  ministry,  and  relapsed  into  his  for- 
mer carelessness  and  wrong-doing.  At  this  time 
he  made  up  his  mind  to  "disobey  God,  like  Jo- 
nah, in  respect  to  preaching."  Immediately 
sore  troubles  gathered  around  him,    shutting 


18  BIOGRAPHY   OF 

up  his  way,  thwarting  all  his  plans,  and  send- 
ing him  adrift  on  the  same  sinful  manner  of 
life.  From  these  perplexities  he  was  anxi- 
ous to  escape.  Casting  about  for  some  mode 
of  retreat  he  stumbled  upon  Calvinism  in  its 
most  rigid  form,  and  concluded  that  while  "  one 
was  born  to  be  saved  another  was  born  to  be 
lost ;  that  the  destiny  of  man  was  fixed  from 
all  eternity."  He  read  much,  but  was  "like 
the  eunuch,  having  no  one  to  instruct"  him,  and 
hence  was  left  to  drift  into  error  and  unbelief. 

The  just  and  candid  mind  of  young  Bachtcl 
could  not  rest  here.  He  met  with  contradictions 
in  this  system  which  it  was  impossible  for  him 
to  reconcile.  After  examining  the  system  care- 
fully, he  concluded  that  it  was  "unjust  in  the  sight 
of  man  to  create  one  for  eternal  happiness  and 
another  for  eternal  misery. " 

"  On  this  ground,  "  said  he,  "I  did  not  be- 
lieve there  was  a  God ;  or  if  there  were  a  God 
he  was  unjust,  and  therefore  could  not  be  the 
God  of  the  Bible.  "  Many  like  young  Bach- 
tel have  met  this  difficulty  in  connection  with 
Calvinism,  and  to  get  away  from  it  have  ei- 
ther gone  into  infidelity  or  Universalism. 

Such  persons  feel  that  if  Calvinism,  such  as 


JACOB    BACIITEL.  19 

was  held  in  the  early  history  of  Mr.    Bachtel, 

be  true,  then  the  real  judgment  occurred  back, 
in  the  eternal  past,  and  the  judgment  to  come 
will  not  rise  above  the  character  of  a  drum-head 
court-martial,  but  will  simply  be  a  mockery  of 
justice  and  the  forms  of  trial.  There  is  no  log- 
ical road  from  this  conclusion,  and  every  effort 
to  get  away,  and  preserve  at  the  same  time  the 
system  of  Calvinism,  degenerates  into  mere 
sophistry. 

Right  or  wrong,  he  sought  relief  from  this 
harsh  view  of  the  divine  character  and  govern- 
ment, in  the  senseless  and  absurd  theories  of 
atheism. 

It  is  not  at  all  difficult  to  imagine  the  terri- 
ble condition  of  his  mind,  while  thus  lost  in  a 
maze  of  unbelief  and  error,  with  no  prospect 
before  him  except  that  of  annihilation.  He  in- 
forms us  that  such  was  his  mental  anguish  that 
he  wandered  off  into  a  secluded  place  and 
threw  himself  upon  the  ground  and  prayed  that 
"  if  there  was  a  God  he  would  cause  the  sun 
to  burn  his  eyes  out.  "  He  could  see  so  many 
evidences  of  the  existence  of  God,  which  it  was 


20  BIOGRAHAY   OF 

impossible  for  him  to  explain  away,  that  he  de- 
sired to  have  taken  away  from  him  the  power 
to  look  upon  these  proofs.  But  to  get  what  he 
desired,  the  work  of  destruction  would  have  to 
be  carried  much  farther;  the  sense  of  hearing 
must  be  destroyed,  and  memory  must  be  oblit- 
erated, and  the  mental  constitution  be  changed, 
for  as  one  has  well  said,  "such  is  the  constitu- 
tion of  the  human  mind  that,  when  left  to  its 
native,  unbiased  energies,  it  acknowledges  the 
existence  of  a  supreme  intelligence.  " 

But  it  may  be  that  God  permitted  him  to 
thus  sink,  and  then  left  him  to  grope  in  the 
darkness  of  atheism  until,  wearied  with  his 
wandering  and  transgressings,  he  would  come 
back  humbly  and  penitently  to  the  fountain  of 
all  good,  for  rational  happiness. 


JACOB   BACHTEL.  21 


CHAPTER    II. 

"Brother  Young's"  remark;  its  influence — temptations  of  the 
Devil;  suggests  the  unpardonable  sin — attends  Methodist  quarter- 
ly meeting  at  Berkettsville— professes  religion — again  wants  to  be 
a  miller — becomes  peevish  about  it — not  resigned  to  the  will  of 
God — his  mind  changes — feels  he  should  preach — shame  overcomes 
him — loses  his  engagements — determined  to  lead  a  moral  life — 
regrets  the  past — John  Dorcas — his  preaching— visits  the  Bachtel 
family — cholera,  visit,  and  panic — young  Bachtel  alarmed — con- 
science— his  fearful  dream — its  impression  on  his  mind. 

At  this  time  "  Brother  Young,  "a  Methodist 
minister,  dropped  a  remark  which  caused  him 
to  reflect  most  seriously.  Said  Mr.  Young  to 
him,  "I  understand  that  you  are  getting  out  of 
your  trouble  by  the  help  of  the  devil." 

This  was  presenting  the  question  in  a  new 
aspect  altogether.  He  had  not  dreamed  that 
he  had  reached  his  present  views  and  feelings 
through  satanic  agency  and  influence.  This 
accounts  for  the  painful  emotions  stirred  in  his 
heart  by  the  remark.  The  enemy,  determined 
not  to  give  up  his  victim,  now  suggested  the 
unpardonable  sin  as  having   occurred  in  his 


22  BIOGRAPHY   OF 

transgressions.  This  was  more  repugnant  to 
his  feelings  than  atheism  and  he  determined 
to  know  the  worst.  Accordingly  he  tried  to 
recall  all  his  sins,  and  then  examined  Clarke's 
Commentary,  to  know,  whether  anything  he 
had  done  was,  in  Mr.  Clarke's  view,  the  unpar- 
donable sin.  He  laid  down  the  book,  satisfied 
that  he  had  not  committed  any  sin  for  which 
there  was  no  pardon.  He  was  now  thoroughly 
aroused  on  the  subject  of  religion,  and  determ- 
ined to  seek  for  peace  in  the  way  of  God's  ap- 
pointment, 

A  Methodist  quarterly  meeting  was  held  at 
this  time  at  Burkettsville,  Frederick  County, 
Maryland.  Young  Bachtel  attended  this  meet- 
ing- and  was  found  at  the  altar,  a  broken-heart- 
ed  penitent,  To  the  surprise  of  many,  he  made 
a  profession  of  religion.  His  conversion  did 
not  result  as  he  expected,  nor  was  his  joy  as 
full  and  uniform  as  is  usual  with  the  young 
disciple.  There  is  something  mysterious 
about  this  matter,  and  for  some  reason  Mr. 
Bachtel  never  seemed  willing  to  throw  any 
light  upon  it.     The  writer  has  come  to  the  con- 


JACOB   BACHTEL.  23 

elusion  that   he  doubted   the  genuineness  of 
that  which  he  professed. 

It  has  already  been  remarked  that  he  desired 
to  be  a  miller,  but  for  some  unexplained  rea- 
son all  his  efforts  in  this  direction  were  thwart- 
ed. 

Indeed,  so  anxious  was  he  about  the  matter, 
that  his  disappointment  interfered  seriously 
with  his  enjoyments  as  a  Christian.  He  does 
not  seem  to  have  deferred  to  the  will  of  God  in 
the  matter,  but  allowed  his  own  wishes  and 
desires  to  be  supreme;  and  because  these  were 
not  gratified,  he  permitted  himself  to  become 
very  miserable.  jNTothing  could  be  more  unwise 
than  this  holding  out  against  the  manifiest  ar- 
rangements of  Providence. 

Of  his  views  and  feelings  at  this  time,  he 
thus  speaks:  "I  felt  greatly  dissatisfied. 
The  hand  of  the  Lord  was  in  it,  but  by  me  un- 
seen. "  After  struggling  against  unfriendly 
influences  for  a  time,  without  being  any  nearer 
the  object  of  his  desire,  he  changed  his  pur- 
pose altogether,  in  relation  to  secular  pursuits. 

He  says:   "At  length  1  concluded  to  stay  at 


24  BIOGRAPHY   OF 

home,  work  for  my  father,  and  read  and  study 
the  Scriptures.  It  was  then  impressed  on  my 
mind  that  I  should  publicly  confess  my  Lord, 
and  try  to  preach  the  gospel  to  a  lost  and  ru- 
ined world ;  but  I  was  ashamed  to  undertake 
it. "  It  would  seem  from  this  that  he  had  not 
been  known  in  the  assembly  of  the  saints  as  a 
follower  of  Christ,  but  was  trying  to  conceal 
in  his  own  heart  a  fact  which  Christ  required 
to  be  published  from  the  "  house-top.  "  If  he 
supposed  that  he  could  pursue  this  course  and 
still  retain  the  favor  of  God,  he  was  destined 
to  be  painfully  undeceived. 

The  duty  of  preaching  "was  still  more  pow- 
erfully impressed  upon  his  mind;  "  but  he  says: 
"  I  was  like  Moses,  I  had  not  self-confidence 
enough.  I  did  not  know  that  the  Lord  could 
make  the  dumb  speak ;  therefore  I  disobeyed 
the  heavenly  call  until  I  lost  the  enjoyment  of 
religion.  I  then  felt  awful,  and  frequently  wan- 
dered to  the  mountains  and  fields  and  wept  for 
hours,  and  tried  to  pray;  but  all  seemed  to  be 
in  vain.     I  then  went   abroad  into  the  world, 


JACOB   BACHTEL.  25 

seeking  pleasure,  but  found  none ;  then  I  ex- 
amined the  field  of  infidelity.  I  went  round 
and  round  it;  but  lo!  it  was  like  the  field  of  the 
sluggard,  the  fences  were  broken  down,  and  it 
was  all  grown  up  with  briars.  I  soon  found 
that  this  was  no  place  for  me  to  seek  happi- 
ness. " 

A  very    important    truth   is  demonstrated 
here,  and  that  is,  that  a  man,  to  retain  the   fa- 
vor of  God,  must   yield  cheerfully  to  do    the 
whole  will  of  God.     It  is  not  enough   for   that 
one  upon  whom  the  vows  of  heaven  are  placed, 
and  to  whom  the  Lord  has  said  in   the  gentle 
tones  of  his  spirit,  "  Go  preach  my  gospel,  "  to 
discharge  only  the  duties  required  of  all  Chris- 
tians ;  but  he  must  rise  into  a  broader  field  of 
labor  and  thought.    And  just  to  the  extent  that 
he  refuses  to   obey  the  high  and  holy  convic- 
tions of  duty,  does  he  imperil  his  soul;  and  if 
he  absolutely  refuse  to  obey  the  will  of  God  in 
the  work  of  the  ministry,  he  by  that  act  delib- 
erately  turns  away  from    Christ  and  heaven. 
So  young  Bachtel  felt,  but   was  unwilling  to 
yield  to  what  he  in  his  heart  acknowledged  to 
be    right.     Driven  from  infidelity  by  its  chill- 
ing repulsiveness,  he  concluded  to  try  a  moral 

3 


26  BIOGRAPHY   OF 

life,  that  is,  have  religion  without  any  Christ 
in  it. 

In  carrying  out  this  newly-formed  purpose, 
he  avoided  bad  company  and  abstained  from 
profanity;  yet  he,  to  use  his  own  words,  "be- 
come very  proud,  "  and  once  or  twice  uttered 
indecent  words,  which  caused  him  much  dis- 
tress, showing  that  his  mind  was  sensitive, 
and  conscience  tender. 

Sometimes  he  wished  that  he  had  obeyed  God 
in  a  public  profession ;  and  well  he  might,  for 
his  cowardice  had  cost  him  his  peace  of  mind 
and  his  hope  of  heaven.  Surely  it  was  some- 
thing to  be  deplored.  And  yet,  at  other  times 
he  hardened  his  heart,  as  if  determined  to 
contend  with  the  Almighty  to  the  last. 

In  1832,  Rev.  John  Dorcas,  now  living,  was 
appointed  to  the  circuit  on  which  Mr.  Bach- 
tel  lived.  His  first  sermon  in  the  neighbor- 
hood is  described  as  one  of  great  power,  abound- 
ing in  forcible  arguments  and  appeals. 

After  preaching,  Mr.  Dorcas  went  home  with 
the  Bachtel  family,  and  introduced  the  subject 
of  religion. 

Before  leaving,  he  bowed  with  the  family 
around  their  altar,  and  "  commended  them   to 


JACOB   BACHTEL.  27 

God  and  the  word  of  his  grace. "  He  took  Ja- 
cob by  the  hand  and  looked  earnestly  into  his 
eyes,  as  if  to  read  the  divine  purpose  written  on 
the  mind,  and  exhorted  him,  with  much  solem- 
nity, to  seek  in  Jesus  the  forgiveness  of  sin. 

For  this  he  always  respected  Mr.  Dorcas. 
He  loved  the  preaching  of  this  minister,  be- 
cause, as  he  said,  "  I  believed  he  preached  the 
truth;  and  I  loved  the  truth,  and  hope  I  al- 
ways shall." 

It  was  during  this  year  that  the  cholera 
swept  over  the  country  with  such  destructive 
and  desolating  power,  causing  a  wild  and  uni- 
versal panic,  and  producing  in  the  minds  of 
many  "the  sorrow  that  worketh  death."  Un- 
der this  fear  many  joined  the  various  churches 
of  the  country.  Mr.  Bachtel  was  greatly  dis- 
turbed by  the  ravages  of  this  fell  destroyer, 
and  expected,  unprepared  as  he  was,  to  be 
hurried  into  eternity.  He  says:  "I  was  very 
much  alarmed,  and  felt  like  Jonah  in  the 
whale's  belly.  I  remembered  from  whence  I 
had  fallen,  and  wished  I  had  obeyed  my  God." 
In  this  he  was  not  singular;  he  had  many 
predecessors,  and  will  have  many  successors. 


28  BIOGRAPHY   OF 

Madame  De  Stael  once  said  that  "conscience 
makes  cowards  of  us  all."  This  is  true  only 
with  the  guilty.  To  this  class  Mr.  Bachtel  be- 
longed, and  hence  his  abject  feor.  Satisfied 
that  he  would  fall  a  victim  to  this  disease,  he 
was  very  serious  and  prayerful.  While  in  this 
mental  condition  he  had  a  dream,  which  he  re- 
lates as  follows : 

"I  dreamed  that  I  was  in  a  high  building,  in 
which  there  were  no  floors.  I  was  on  the  up- 
per story,  in  which  there  were  a  few  loose 
planks.  While  walking  on  one  of  these  it  tilted, 
and  I  was  in  the  act  of  falling.  While  in  this 
perilous  condition,  I  looked  up  and  saw  a  man 
clothed  in  white.  I  cried  unto  him  to  come 
to  my  relief.  He  said  that  he  could  help  me, 
but  I  had  disobeyed  him  so  long  that  he  had 
no  right  to  do  so.  I  cried  to  him  again.  He 
then  told  me  that  if  I  would  obey  him  in  the 
future  he  would  save  me.  I  promised  that  1 
would.  He  then  came  to  me,  and  lifted  me  out 
of  my  danger." 

It  is  not  at  all  probable  that  he  was  super- 
stitious; yet  this  dream  made  a  lasting  impres- 
sion on  his  mind.     He  says:  "In  the  morning, 

i 


JACOB   BACHTEL.  29 

when  I  awoke,  I  thought  of  my  dream.  I  con- 
cluded that  I  had  disobeyed  God  and  despised 
his  goodness  so  long  that  if  I  did  not  repent 
he  would  cut  me  off  and  send  me  to  hell,  for  I 
considered  this  the  last  call  I  should  ever 
have." 

Many  days  and  nights  of  sorrow  followed 
this  night-vision.  He  found  it  impossible  to 
get  away  from  the  remembrance  of  that  fearful 
dream;  and  wherever  he  turned,  in  imagination 
he  saw  the  man  in  white,  and  heard  his  words 
of  just  reproach. 


30  BIOGRAPHY   OP 


CHAPTER    III. 

Another  Methodist  Camp-meeting — tempted — a  little  girl  at 
the  altar — a  sermon  and  exhortation — he  is  a  mourner — great 
darkness  and  distress — leaves  the  meeting  and  goes  home — is 
tempted  to  go  to  a  sale — tempted  to  commit  suicide — returns  to  the 
meeting — slept  in  a  stable — is  greatly  alarmed  in  the  night— - 
meeting  closed — visit  to  his  uncle — on  the  road  home — day  of 
grace  gone — enters  a  corn-field  to  pray — the  struggle  and  victory 
— he  is  converted — his  great  joy — joined  the  Methodist  Church — a 
Brethren  class  without  a  leader — feels  it  his  duty  to  lead  it — joins 
the  United  Brethren  Church — Ids  industry  as  a  class-leader — 
attends  a  quarterly  meeting  at  Burkettsville — is  licensed  to 
exhort,  and  told  to  preach—  lie  determines  to  do  it — feels  it  hie 
duty  to  become  a  traveling  preacher — tells  Mr.  Dorcas,  and  it 
encouraged  to  do  so. 

In  September  of  this  year  the  Methodists 
held  a  camp- meeting  two  miles  south  of  Mid- 
dletown,  in  Frederick  County.  To  this  meet- 
ing young  Bachtel  made  up  his  mind  to  go; 
and  what  was  better  still,  he  determined  to  go 
there  to  seek  the  salvation  of  his  soul.  While 
on  the  road  to  this  meeting,  he  was  greatly  dis- 
turbed by  the  enemy,  and  was  very  nearly  con- 
cluding that  he  would  not  seek  religion  at  that 
time  and  place. 


JACOB   BACHTEL.  31 

The  form  of  the  temptation  made  it  the  more 
dangerous.  Satan  did  not  say  to  him,  "do 
not  seek  the  Lord  at  all,"  but  "do  not  seek 
him  publicly.  If  you  do,  you  will  excite  the 
mirth  and  ridicule  of  the  people.  All  that 
see  you  will  cry  out  shame  on  such  fanaticism." 
These  suggestions  made  quite  an  impression 
on  his  mind;  and  when  he  arrived  at  the  camp- 
ground on  Saturday  afternoon  he  was  undecided 
as  to  what  he  should  do.  But  he  had  not 
been  there  long  when  a  strange  awe  took  pos- 
session of  his  mind.  He  felt  that  God  was 
there,  and  that  he  should  acknowledge  his 
presence  and  power. 

The  first  thing  that  fixed  his  attention  after  his 
arrival,  was  the  circumstance  of  little  girl,  about 
fourteen  years  old,  crying  for  mercy,  kind  Chris- 
tian friends  being  gathered  about  the  penitent, 
with  sympathy  and  counsel.  This  caused  him 
to  reflect,  and  again  he  says:  "  I  felt  awful.1''  A 
great  conflict  commenced  in  his  mind.  Atone 
time  he  determined  to  end  this  strife  by  becom- 
ing a  Christian,  and  submitting  to  all  the  re- 
quirements of  his  Maker ;  and  then  again  he 
concluded  to  put  the  important  matter  away 
for  the  present.     While  this  contest  was  going 


32  BIOGRAPHY   OF 

on  in  his  mind,  almost  unconsciously  he  had 
wandered  to  another  part  of  the  encampment. 
He  was  absorbed  in  great  thoughts,  and  was  so 
abstracted  as  to  feel  himself  alone  among  the 
hundreds  present.  The  form  of  the  little  peni- 
tent girl  at  the  altar  seemed  to  be  present  here; 
and  her  cries  rang  in  his  ears.  The  Holy  Spirit 
was  striving  powerfully  within  his  heart. 

The  hour  for  preaching  having  arrived,  an 
unknown  minister  preached,  and  a  Brother  Mul- 
key  exhorted.  "I  felt  very  unhappy,"  said 
Mr.  Bachtel.  "  While  he  was  talking  he  put 
me  on  a  level  with  the  brute. "  When  mourn- 
ers were  invited  he  was  found  among  the  num- 
ber, but  "with  a  hard  heart,  which  re- 
fused to  feel  its  need  of  a  Savior."  He  seemed 
to  be  but  a  mere  toy  in  the  hands  of  the  enemy 
— the  sport  of  unfriendly  circumstances.  He 
was,  unhappily,  very  vacillating  in  his  purpose 
— a  circumstance  that  was  much  against  him. 

The  conflict  through  which  he  here  passed 
was  probably  the  fiercest  of  his  life,  as  it  was 
also  the  turning-point  of  his  destiny.  His 
mind  was  to  receive  impressions,  and  his  life 
take  a  direction,  which  were  to  be  life-long. 
The    conflict  might  be    protracted,    reaching 


JACOB   BACHTEL.  33 

through  weeks,  and  even  months;  yet  its  termi 
nation  would  unerringly  forecast  his  future  his 
tory.  God  was  leading  him  by  a  way  that  he 
had  not  known,  and,  so  far  as  we  can  judge  by 
the  light  of  events  which  have  since  occurred, 
intended  to  thrust  him  into  the  English  minis- 
try of  the  Church  of  the  United  Brethren  in 
Christ.  As  the  necessities  of  the  church  in- 
creased, and  the  field  of  operation  enlarged,  Di- 
vine providence  raised  up  the  men  who  would 
be  able  to  meet  the  enlarged  demand.  Hitherto 
the  German  element  had  largely  predominated 
in  the  church,  while  the  rapidly  increasing 
English  population  had  received  compara- 
tively little  attention.  This  was  now  to  change, 
whether  men  willed  it  or  not;  and  the  latter 
people,  with  their  energy  and  enthusiasm,  were 
henceforth  mainly  to  wield  and  direct  the  for- 
ces of  the  church.  In  the  ranks  of  these  Mr. 
Bacfatel  was  to  be  known  and  respected. 

Although  his  heart  was  hard,  he  continued 
in  fervent  prayer  until  tears,  copious,  gushing 
tears,  measurably  relieved  his  overcharged 
feelings.  He  continued  to  struggle  until  twelve 
o'clock  at  night,  and  then  went  from  the  altar 
to  a  tent,  to  weep  and  mourn  as  only  the  sin- 


34  BIOGRAPHY   OF 

sick  can,  until  the  dawn.  That,  to  him,  was  a 
long,  dark  night  of  sorrow.  Not  one  morsel 
of  comfort  was  given  to  relieve  the  agony  of  his 
mind. 

Under  this  continued  tension  his  feelings 
had  been  so  wrought  up  and  excited  that  he 
could  neither  "lie  down,  sit,  or  stand  up," 
Physical  exhaustion  had  supervened  ;  and  he 
was  helpless,  and  could  not  feel  comfortable  in 
any  position.  In  the  afternoon  exhausted  na- 
ture rallied,  and  he  felt  stronger;  but  this  ivas 
only  a  lull  in  the  tempest,  and.  not  the  subsid- 
ence of  the  storm.  The  enemy  only  retired 
from  the  field  in  order  to  change  the  mode  of 
attack.  Accordingly  we  find  Mr.  Bachtel  leav- 
ing the  meeting  and  going  to  his  home,  and 
then  concluding  that  he  felt  so  badly  in  body 
and  mind  that  he  could  not  <ro  back.  The 
tempter  said  to  him,  "take  your  gun  and  goto 
a  sale  in  the  neighborhood. "  At  this  place  there 
would  be  much  to  divert  the  mind  from  the 
subject  of  religion,  such  as  jesting,  shooting, 
Bwearing,  drinking,  and  horse-racing.  To  this 
place  he  was  prevented  frcm  going,  by  the 
fact  that  he  was  afraid  that  he  would  grieve 
God.      His    sins  were  pressing  heavily  upon 


JACOB   BACH TEL.  35 

him,  and  he  said :  "I  felt  as  though  I  was  soul 
and  body  in  hell,  and  as  though  hell  was  in  my 
bosom.  " 

Now  the  enemy  came  in  like  a  flood,  and 
suggested,  as  the  shortest  way  to  escape  out  of 
this  trouble,  the  act  of  self-destruction.  This 
did  not  produce  a  mere  transient  impression, 
but  fastened  upon  his  mind  the  thought  of 
self-murder.  He  selected  the  place  where  he 
intended  to  consummate  the  terrible  act,  and 
thrust  his  unforgiven  spirit  into  the  presence 
of  the  Infinite!  But  he  had  not  lost  the  power 
to  think  and  reason;  and  it  required  but  little 
reflection  to  convince  him  that  this  was  not  the 
way  to  freedom  from  trouble,  and  that,  so  far 
as  he  was  concerned,  if  he  desired  peace  he 
must  seek  it  in  the  merits  of  the  great  Re- 
deemer. 

The  cup  of  repentance  had  thus  far  been 
wormwood  to  his  lips;  yet  its  bitterest  drops 
remained  untasted.  Could  he  drink  deeper 
and  live,  or  was  it  all  mockery,  and  his  anguish 
self-imposed,  were  grave  questions  in  his  ex- 
cited mind.  Very  unpleasant  memories,  too, 
were  busy  in  his  thoughts.  Once  he  had  pro- 
fessed tj  be  Christ's  disciple,  but  had  sold  the 


36  BIOGRAPHY   OF 

privileges  of  this  state  for  naught.  Increasing 
bitterness  and  darkness  had  filled  his  mind  and 
heart  ever  since  he  had  refused  to  confess 
Christ  before  men,  and  he  felt  that  to  be  happy 
at  last  he  must  go  forward  through  the  gather- 
ing darkness  until  he  should  find  the  light. 
Accordingly,  he  concluded  to  go  back  to  the 
meeting  and  wrestle  in  public  for  victory  over 
sin. 

His  body  had  become  so  exhausted  by  this 
protracted  mental  struggle  that  he  did  not  be- 
lieve that  he  could  return.  He  prayed  for 
strength ;  and  God  gave  him  strength  to  go  back. 
This  was  his  impression ;  and  it  so  far  aroused 
him  that  he  returned  before  the  meeting  closed. 
He  did  not  go  forward  when  mourners  were 
invited  but  prayed  much  where  he  was,  those 
"awful  feelings  "  of  which  he  so  often  speaks 
still  torturing  his  heart. 

He  wandered  some  distance  from  the  en- 
campment, and  slept  in  a  stable.  A  heavy  fog 
prevailed,  and  the  night  air  was  very  chilling, 
rendering  him  quite  uncomfortable.  He  awoke 
in  the  night,  shivering  with  cold.  The  old  chol- 
era panic  returned,  and  he  concluded  at  once 
that  he  was  going  to  die.     It   was  a  terrible 


JACOB   BACHTEL.  37 

thought,  that  he  must  die  with  no  friend  near 
him,  and  without  any  hope  of  meeting  his  Ma- 
ker in  peace.  No  one  can  ever  know  with 
what  an  agony  of  emotion  he  looked  upon  him- 
self as  a  dying  man.  Leaving  the  stable  he  re- 
turned to  the  place  of  meeting,  and  was  ena- 
bled to  throw  off  the  fear  of  immediate  death. 
But  he  learned,  to  his  sorrow,  that  the  meeting 
was  about  to  close,  leaving  him  unsaved.  It 
was  hard  for  him  to  realize  that  he  must  carry 
away  with  him  an  aching  heart,  with  darkness, 
like  a  gloomy  pall,  still  covering  his  mind. 
Yet  this  was  his  fate. 

With  heavy  steps,  and  a  heavier  heart, 
he  returned  home  to  brood  over  his  wretched 
condition.  He  could  not  read,  eat,  sit,  or 
stand,  but  continued  to  move  about,  without 
any  particular  aim  or  purpose,  for  some  days. 
All  this  might  have  been  ended  by  submission 
to  the  will  of  God ;  but  of  all  the  lessons  of  our 
probation  this  is  the  most  difficult  one  to  learn. 
It  is  so,  because  that  will  to  us  often  seems  to  be 
a  cruel  will.  The  lesson  is  a  very  painful  one, 
because  it  can  only  be  learned  by  the  blighting 
of  much  that  is  precious  to  our  hearts.  It  is 
the  last  lesson,  for  when  this  is  learned  we  are 


38  BIOGRAPHY   OF 

ready  to  be  transplanted  into  a  world  in  which 
one  will  is  adored  and  obeyed  without  a  ques- 
tioning thought.  All  that  Christian  experience 
has  ever  taught  resolves  itself  into  this,  the 
lesson  how  to  say  affectionately:  "Not  as  I 
will,  but  as  thou  wilt.  " 

That  the  lack  of  submission  to  the  Divine 
will  was  the  cause  of  the  protracted  struggle  in 
the  mind  of  Mr.  Bachtel,  none  can  doubt. 

Determined  to  "press  for  the  mark,'1  he 
concluded  that  he  would  visit  his  uncle, 
living  near  Burkettsville.  This  man  was  a 
Christian,  who  was  always  ready  to  do  good; 
and  the  unhappy  condition  of  his  nephew  ap- 
pealed strongly  to  his  Christian  sympathies. 
He  immediately  set  to  work  to  ascertain  the 
true  state  of  the  young  penitent's  mind,  and 
o-ave  him  such  advice  as  was  best  suited  to  his 
condition.  It  was  not  labor  in  vain,  as  the  se- 
qual  proved. 

After  spending  some  time  with  his  uncle  he 
started  on  his  return  home,  thinking  intensely, 
all  the  time,  upon  the  subject  of  his  personal 
salvation.  While  thus  proceeding,  the  enemy 
came  in  suddenly,  and  suggested  that  his  day 


JACOB   BACIITEL.  39 

of  grace  was  past.  So  powerfully  did  this  im- 
pression affect  him,  that  he  was  very  nearly 
falling;  to  the  ground;  and  for  a  while  he 
writhed  in  despair.  While  thus  wrestling  with 
this  <rreat  tcmDtation,  these  words  were  im- 
pressed  upon  his  mind:  "Stand  still,  and  see 
the  salvation  of  God."  O,  how  eagerly  he 
seized  the  precious  words,  for  in  them  he  felt 
there  was  hope  for  him. 

The  desire  to  pray  returned;  and  he  entered 
a  corn-field,  by  the  road-side,  where  he  fell  upon 
his  knees  and  sent  up  to  God  strong  cries  for  de- 
liverance from  the  thralldom  of  sin.  This  spot, 
though  retired  from  the  highway,  did  not 
suit  him.  He  could  not  collect  his  thoughts, 
or  concentrate  his  faculties,  so  as  to  oifcr  him- 
self acceptably  to  God.  He  arose,  and  sought 
another  place  in  the  same  field.  At  this  place 
he  promised  the  Lord  that  if  he  would  pardon 
him  he  would  be  his  devoted  servant  all  his 
days,  and  would  go  anywhere  to  preach  the 
gospel. 

Here  was  entire  submission  to  the  will  of 
God.  He  rightly  divined  the  cause  of  past  fail- 
ures, and  felt  that  he  must  submit  or  be  damned. 
The    thought    of    being   lost    he    could    not 


40  BIOGRAPHY    OF 

endure;  no,  he  would  submit  to  anything 
rather  than  feel  God's  wrath  enkindled  against 
him,  in  the  "  lowest  hell."  And  yet  all  this  he 
must  suffer,  or  submit  to  the  will  of  his  Maker. 
To  his  excited  mind  God  was  about  to  bring 
the  controversy  to  an  end,  and  to  do  so  at  once. 
He  could  have  merc5r  or  justice,  as  he  might 
choose;  but  he  could  have  mercy  only  on  terms 
fixed  by  God  himself.  The  language  of  his 
heart  was,  as  he  fell  duwn  a  second  time:  "  I 
yield,  I  yield;  I  can  hold  out  no  more.  " 

Oh!  with  what  agony  did  he  lift  up  hands 
and  heart  to  heaven.  The  surrounding  hills 
sent  back  the  echo  of  his  cry.  Angels  gathered 
silently  around  the  spot,  and  gazed  with  awe 
upon  a  grief-stricken  soul,  seeking  audience 
with  the  Diety.  It  was  an  hour  of  fierce  con- 
flict, with  no  human  being  near  to  counsel 
or  console  him;  none  to  weep  and  pray 
with  him;  yet  it  was  an  hour  of  triumph. 
Jesus  stooped  to  be  a  brother  and  friend  to  the 
penitent;  the  Holy  Spirit  whispered  peace  to 
his  anxious  heart,  and  he  sprang  up  with  the 
joy  of  victory  in  his  soul  and  the  light  of  vic- 
tory sparkling  in  his  eye.  He  said  of  that 
time:  "The  Lord  had  mercy  upon  me,  and  I 


JACOB   BACHTEL.  41 

praised  the  God  of  my  salvation.  I  then  re- 
turned home,  happy  in  the  Lord,  and  praised 
him  nearly  all  night. "  With  every  fetter 
broken,  and  every  faculty  free,  he  realized  all 
the  joy  and  beauty  of  the  new  creation  which 
had  been  wrought  in  him. 

He  felt  it  to  be  his  duty  to  join  the  church, 
and,  remembering  a  former  mistake,  deter- 
mined to  do  do  so  at  once,  thus  making  a  pub- 
lic profession  of  religion.  There  could  be  no 
doubt  as  to  his  determination,  when  he  had 
united  with  the  people  of  God  in  church-fellow- 
ship. Mr.  Bachtel  realized  that  there  was  a 
power  in  association,  which  it  was  his  duty  to 
avail  himself  of,  and  that  power  for  good  re- 
sided in  the  church.  For  reasons  not  known, 
he  at  first  united  with  the  Methodist  Episco- 
pal Church,  at  Burkettsville.  A  Rev.  Mr. 
Young  was  pastor  at  that  time. 

His  call  to  the  ministry  was  still  ringing  in 
his  ears.  He  says :  "It  was  still  impressed 
upon  my  mind  that  I  must  preach,  and  I  felt 
resigned  to  the  will  of  God."  He  attended 
punctually  the  means  of  grace,  both  public  and 
private,  and  also  commenced  reading,  and 
studying  the  Bible  carefully.     "  I  studied, "  he 


42  BIOGRAPHY   OF 

says,  "  almost  day  and  night,  and  prayed  to 
God  for  light  to  understand  his  word." 

He  was  called,  in  the  providence  of  God,  to 
pass  through  some  fiery  trials  about  this  time ; 
but  he  "passed  through  them  unharmed,"  for 
his  trust  was  in  the  Lord  of  Hosts.  •  He  seems 
to  have  enjoyed  a  rich  pleasure  in  prayer.  It 
was  to  him  a  great  and  precious  privilege  to 
talk  with  his  father  and  friends ;  and  through 
the  help  of  prayer  he  stood  firm  through  these 
trials  in  his  devotion  to  the  right.  Perhaps 
God  was  preparing  his  young  disciple  by  these 
means  for  a  life  of  usefulness,  by  applying  the 
tests  best  adapted  to  develop  the  noblest  qual- 
ities of  his  nature. 

About  this  time  he  felt  it  his  duty  to  change 
his  ecclesiastical  connection.  In  the  neighbor- 
hood in  which  he  lived  was  a  society  of  United 
Brethren.  This  class,  for  some  cause,  was  with- 
out a  leader.  Mr.  Bachtel  was  impressed  that 
it  was  his  duty  to  leave  the  Methodist  Church, 
that  he  might  become  the  leader  of  this  class. 
At  first  he  resisted  this  impression,  but  could 
not  shake  it  off.  After  much  thought  on  the 
subject,  he  mentioned  the  matter  to  his  father, 
who  at  that  time  was  a  member  of  the  United 


JACOB   BACHTEL.  43 

Brethren  Church  and  of  this  destitute  class. 
His  father  was  highly  pleased  with  the  propo- 
sition, and  mentioned  the  matter  to  Mr.  Dorcas, 
who  was  traveling  the  circuit.  Mr.  Dorcas 
was  favorably  impressed,  and  laid  the  matter 
before  the  class;  and  thev  were  well  satisfied 
with  the  proposed  arrangement.  As  every- 
thing seemed  to  favor  the  change,  Mr.  Bachtel 
mentioned  the  matter  to  his  pastor,  who  gave 
his  consent;  and  thus  the  transfer  was  honor- 
ably made. 

There  is  something  singular  in  the  whole 
proceeding.  He  could  have  joined  the  United 
Brethren  Church  in  the  beginning.  His  father, 
mother,  and  sister  already  belonged  to  this 
church.  His  first  religious  impressions  were 
received  while  attending  a  United  Brethren 
quarterly  meeting  at  Mr.  Shank's.  The  Meth- 
odist class  was  much  more  inconvenient  than 
the  other;  yet  he  joined  the  Methodist  Church. 
A  short  time  elapsed,  and  he  was  impressed 
that  he  was  in  the  wrong  place,  and  ought  to 
labor  in  another  church.  No  obstacles  were 
thrown  in  the  way.  Everything  favored  it, 
and  it  was  most  satisfactorily  accomplished. 
The  hand  of  providence  seemed  to  be  truly  in  it, 


44  BIOGRAPHY   OF 

Mr.  Bachtel  received  his  appointment  as 
class-leader  on  Christmas  day,  1832,  thirty- 
tour  years  before  his  death.  Scarcely  had  he 
taken  charge  of  the  society,  when  he  was  tempted 
to  think  he  had  done  wrong,  and  wished  that 
he  had  not  assumed  this  responsibility.  How- 
ever, he  prayed  day  and  night ;  and  the  Lord 
enabled  him  to  sing  and  exhort  and  lead  class, 
and  they  had  times  of  great  rejoicing.  At 
these  meetings  sinners  were  converted  to  God 
and  Christians  were  revived. 

He  continued  to  hold  meetings  for  prayer 
and  exhortation,  and  grew  in  favor  with  God 
and  man.  He  was  a  true  type  of  an  earnest 
Christian  worker. 

He  attended  the  session  of  the  Virginia 
Conference,  and  was  baptized  in  the  confer- 
ence-room by  Bishop  Kumler,  Sen.  In 
August  of  the  same  year  (1833),  he  attended  a 
camp-meeting  near  Burkettsville,  held  by  the 
United  Brethren  Church.  A  quarterly  confer- 
ence, convened  in  connection  with  this  meet- 
in  o-,  without  any  solicitation  on  his  part, 
asked  Mr.  Bachtel  to  accept  license  to  exhort. 
This  was  wholly  unexpected,  and  greatly 
troubled   him.      Gladly   would  he  evade   the 


JACOB   BACHTEL.  45 

responsibility,  if  he  had  thought  he  could  do  so 
with  safety  to  his  soul;  but  he  was  "afraid  of 
God."  After  full  reflection,  though  conscious 
of  much  unworthiness,  he  concluded  to  accept 
the  license  and  discharge  the  duty. 

The  presiding  elder  gave  him  the  license, 
with  the  then  characteristic  advice  ;ito  ex- 
hort and  preach "  all  he  could.  Mr.  Bachtel 
said  :  "I  was  astonished  when  he  told  me  to 
preach."  He  took  the  license  with  a  sinking 
heart,  and  immediately  repaired  to  the  mount- 
ain and  prayed  mightily  to  God  for  grace 
to  help  him  ''exhort  and  preach  to  the  lost  and 
ruined." 

So  deeply  was  he  impressed  with  the  respon- 
sibility thus  thrust  upon  him,  that  he  did  not 
enjoy  the  camp-meeting.  Here  the  tempter 
secured  an  advantage  which  was  very  hurtful 
to  him,  for  he  was  now  sorry  that  he  had  not 
refused  to  accept  this  authority.  He  would 
have  surrendered  it  to  the  elder  but  for  the 
promise  he  had  made  to  God,  in  the  dark  hour 
preceding  his  conversion,  that  he  would  preach 
his  word.  The  thought  of  being  a  preacher 
overwhelmed  him  with  fear  and  confusion. 
Accompanying  the  written  authority  to  exhort 


46  BIOGEAPHY    OF 

was  the  verbal  command  to  preach)  and  lie  knew 
both  were  binding  on  his  conscience: 

He  surveyed  the  whole  field  of  labor,  and 
reflected  that  he  must  leave  home  and  friends — 
quit  the  scenes  of  his  childhood,  with  all  their 
sacred  associations,  to  become  a  wanderer  and, 
in  his  opinion,  an  outcast.  He  must  meet  with 
bitter  opposition,  be  persecuted,  and  have  all 
manner  of  evil  spoken  against  him,  for  Christ's 
sake.  But  after  a  prolonged  struggle,  of  which 
God  alone  was  the  witness,  he  determined  to 
engage  in  the  active  labors  of  the  ministry; 
and  giving  himself  to  exhorting  and  preach- 
ing, as  he  had  opportunity,  the  young  evangel- 
ist was  made  glad  while  witnessing  precious 
fruits  of  his  labors.  In  the  minds  of  his  breth- 
ren he  was  "a  chosen  vessel,"  and  they  rejoiced 
while  sitting  under  his  ministry. 

With  success  came  the  conviction  that  he 
ought  to  travel,  thus  becoming  the  wanderer 
and  outcast  he  had  contemplated  with  so  much 
repugnance,  a  few  months  before.  He  made 
known  his  convictions  to  Mr.  Dorcas,  his  pastor, 
who  encouraged  him  to  go  into  the  work  at 
once.  The  presiding  elder  of  the  district  was 
made  acquainted  with  the  matter  and  had  an 


JACOB   BACHTEL.  47 

interview  with  Mr.  Bachtel,  during  which  he 
made  himself  acquainted  with  the  exercises  of 
his  mind.  This  caused  him  much  uneasiness  and 
a  return  of  deep  mental  distress,  of  which  he  so 
frequently  made  mention.  He  frankly  told 
the  elder  that  he  was  convinced  of  his  duty  to 
become  an  itinerant.  Mr.  Bachtel,  Sen.,  was 
consulted,  and  consented,  promising  to  furnish 
his  son  a  horse. 


48  BIOGRAPHY   OF 


CHAPTER    IV. 

Studies  hard — father  buys  him  a  horse — wishes  that  the  horse 
would  die — horse  gets  sick;  Mr.  Bachtel's  alarm — he  prays — start- 
ed to  conference — preaches  on  the  way — tho  conference — is  received 
and  appointed  to  Frederick  Circuit — his  distress — preaches  at 
Middletown — discouragements — tho  old  temptation  — conference  at 
Hickel's  school-house — ho  is  authorized  to  baptize — sent  to  South 
Branch  Circuit — large  field — small  salary — conference  of  1836 
— is  returned  to   South  Branch  Circuit. 

During  the  following  winter  Mr.  Bachtel 
studied  hard  to  enrich  his  mind  with  theologi- 
cal knowledge,  regretting,  however,  all  the 
while,  that  he  had  consented  to  travel. 

When  his  father  bought  him  the  promised 
horse,  he  concluded  that  he  never  would  be 
able  to  use  him  in  the  itinerancy,  and  not  only 
wished  that  the  horse  had  not  been  bought, 
but  that  he  would  die.  Indeed,  to  such  an  ex- 
treme did  his  feelings  go  that  he  was  tempted  to 
give  his  horse  poison,  to  make  sure  of  his  death; 
then  he  would  have  a  good  excuse  for  staying 
at  home.  After  killing  his  horse  it  was  his 
purpose  to  go  West,  and  bury  in  his  own  bosom 


JACOB   BACHTEL.  49 

the  fact  that  God  had  called  him  to  the  minis- 
try. 

In  the  midst  of  these  thoughts  the  horse  got 
sick  and  "threatened"  to  die.  Mr.  Bachtel 
concluded  that  if  the  horse  died  God  would 
kill  him  too.  Becoming  greatly  alarmed,  he 
betook  himself  to  prayer  and  earnestly  besought 
the  Lord  to  spare  both  himself  and  horse, 
promising  solemnly  that  if  both  were  spared 
he  would  go  out  and  preach  the  ubest  he 
could." 

The  horse  soon  recovered,  and  in  the  spring 
Mr.  Bachtel  started  to  the  conference  of  1834. 
The  responsibility  of  the  active  ministry  pressed 
heavily  upon  his  mind  while  on  his  way  to 
conference.  On  his  way  he  preached  at  Mr. 
Bline's  school-house,  in  Shenandoah  County, 
Virginia,  He  seems  to  have  been  under  a 
cloud  when  he  commenced  the  service;  "but," 
said  he,  "thank  God,  I  afterward  had  liberty." 
He  selected  his  text  from  the  eleventh 
Psalm.  "The  Lord  trieth  the  righteous,  but 
the  wicked,  and  him  that  lovcth  violence,  his 
soul  hateth.  "  His  own  mental  exercises,  per- 
haps, suggested  the  text,  and  in  a  measure  in- 
spired the  sermon.     It  was  certainly   a  great 


50  BIOGRAPHY   OF 

relief  to  him  to  feel  that  even  in  a  small  de- 
gree God  was  kindling  the  fire  through  which 
he  was  passing,  and  he  left  the  place  encour- 
aged to  preach  again. 

He  reached  the  conference  in  good  time,  but 
with  much  distrust  of  himself.  He  said: 
"  When  I  saw  the  preachers,  I  felt  so  little  that 
I  wished  Iliad  staid  at  home."  Of  course 
there  was  nothing  unnatural  in  this.  He  was 
just  opening  into  manhood,  with  the  dew  of 
youth  on  his  brow,  while  in  the  conference 
were  venerable  men  of  the  apostolic  stamp ; 
men,  it  is  true,  without  scholastic  training,  yet 
deeply  versed  in  the  mysteries  of  the  gospel, 
and  read  in  the  book  of  God.  They  had  talked 
with  God  in  the  closet,  in  the  valley,  and  in 
the  mountain,  and  had  heard  his  voice  of  love 
in  their  seasons  of  bereavement  and  sorrow. 
They  knew  God  as  a  friend,  one  "that  stick- 
eth  closer  than  a  brother."  They  were  men  of 
power  in  the  pulpit,  for  under  their  preaching 
the  people  had  fallen  as  autumn  leaves;  and  in 
answer  to  their  prayers  the  Holy  Spirit  had 
descended  upon  the  penitent  like  rain  upon  the 
mown  grass.  Mr.  Bachtel  felt  that  he  was  in 
the  presence  of  true  manhood.     His  humility 


JACOB    BACHTEL.  51 

and  modesty  did  not  escape  the  notice  of  the 
men  who  had  carefully  studied  human  nature, 
and  they  took  the  young  man  at  once  to  their 
hearts. 

He  was  very  earnest  in  prayer,  for  grace  to 
meet  the  responsibilities  of  the  occasion.  He 
appeared  before  the  committee  to  examine  ap- 
plicants for  license  to  preach;  and  upon  the 
recommendation  of  that  committee  he  was 
licensed  "to  preach  the  gospel  among  the 
United  Brethren  in  Christ,  so  long  as  his 
conduct  and  doctrine"  agreed  with  the  word  of 
God. 

This  did  not  increase  his  happiness,  but 
caused  a  deeper  depression  of  spirits,  and  he 
was  very  anxious  to  be  left  without  work.  His 
appointment  was  to  Frederick  Circuit,  John 
Dorcas  being  the  preacher  in  charge.  For  a 
moment  he  was  much  gratified  ;  but  when  he 
reflected  that  the  people  were  intelligent,  and 
could  measure  his  capacity  for  preaching,  his 
heart  sank  within  him,  and  he  felt  that  he  was 
not  equal  to  the  great  task.  He  concluded, 
however,  to  go  to  his  work,  and  "trust  in  the 
Lord." 

His  first  appointment  was  in  Middletown,  a 


52  BIOGRAPHY   OF 

village  on  the  "national  road,"  eight  miles 
west  of  Frederick  City.  This  village,  with  its 
surroundings,  has  since  become  historic.  The 
South  Mountain  battle-field  is  in  plain  view. 
The  hills  surrounding  it  have  echoed  the  thun- 
der of  Union  and  rebel  artillery;  its  streets 
have  shaken  beneath  the  heavy  tread  of  charg- 
ing squadrons  of  hostile  cavalry.  It  was  in 
view  of  this  village  the  gallant  Reno  fell,  one 
of  Virginia's  noblest  and  truest  sons,  while 
leading  his  brave  men  against  the  rebel  strong- 
hold. In  this  quiet  valley  lie  buried  the  noble 
men  who  fell  on  this  gory  field,  while  driving 
the  insolent  invader  from  the  loyal  part  of 
Maryland.  The  United  Brethren  Church  was 
largely  represented  in  the  army  engaged  here. 
No  doubt  if  Mr.  Bachtel  could  have  looked  for- 
ward to  scenes  and  events  like  these,  and 
realized  that  he  would  live  to  see  the  days  of 
their  occurrence,  his  heart  would  have  been 
filled  with  a  deeper  and  sadder  melancholy 
than  now  afflicted  it  as  he  rode  into  the  village 
on  Saturday  evening. 

On  Sabbath  morning  he  preached  from  these 
words,  in  Psalms,  xxxiv:  15,  16:  "The  eyes 
of  the  Lord  are  upon  the  righteous,  and  his 


JACOB   BACHTEL.  53 

ears  are  open  unto  their  cry.  The  face  of  the 
Lord  is  against  them  that  do  evil,  to  cut  off  the 
remembrance  of  them  from  the  earth."  He 
was  embarrassed,  and,  in  his  judgment,  failed 
in  his  effort. 

It  was  easy  for  him  to  imagine  that  one  so 
young  could  not  command  the  respect  that  older 
ministers  received  from  the  people.  He  forgot, 
in  his  misgivings,  that  the  people  among  whom 
he  was  laboring  were  not  expecting  him  to 
come  up  to  such  a  standard  as  they  measured 
experienced  ministers  by.  In  fact,  he  under- 
rated his  own  true  ability  and  worth  to  such 
an  extent  as  to  give  the  enemy  a  dangerous 
advantage  over  him;  for  while  humility  is  nec- 
essary and  right,  too  low  a  self-abasement  is 
dangerous,  and  may  become  sinful. 

From  this  place  he  followed  up  his  appoint- 
ments, but  with  a  heavy  heart.  x\bout  this 
time  he  said:  "God  showed  me  what  man  was. 
which  made  me  very  miserable."  As  he 
rode  along  the  way  he  wept  bitterly,  and  as 
he  passed  the  people  and  houses  he  turned  away 
his  face  to  conceal  his  tears.  The  old  temp- 
tation to  go  west  returned.  His  thoughts  were 
to  leave  his  horse  and  go  quietly  away  from  his 


54  BIOGRAPHY   OF 

work ;  yet  when  he  seriously  reflected  upon  the 
subject,  and  examined  it  in  all  its  aspects,  he 
felt  that  he  would  be  doing  a  great  wrong,  one 
for  which  there  would  be  no  atonement,  to 
leave  the  field  and  work  to  which  he  had  been 
called  by  God  and  the  church.  His  decision 
was  made,  and  with  a  well  developed  purpose 
to  do  right,  by  doing  the  will  of  God,  and  with 
fervent  prayer  to  the  Father  of  mercies  for 
help  and  direction,  he  addressed  himself  to  the 
work  before  him  with  zeal  and  success.  This 
was  an  important  period  in  the  life  of  Mr. 
Bachtel,  a  crisis  in  his  history ;  and  God  kindly 
<mve  the  right  direction  to  a  life  and  talent 
which,  in  after  years,  were  made  so  valuable  to 
the  church  in  Maryland  and  Virginia. 

He  labored  with  untiring  energy,  and  was 
quite  successful  in  turning  the  people  to  right- 
eousness. So  abundantly  did  God  bless  and 
sustain  him,  that  at  the  end  of  the  year  he  had 
determined  to  make  preaching  his  life-work,  and 
look  for  his  reward  in  the  promised  inherit- 
ance. This  determination  was  followed  with 
great  peace,  such  as  the  faithful  ministers  alone 
enjoy. 

The  conference  was  held  at  Hickles'  school- 


JACOB   BACHTEL.  55 

house,  Shenandoah  County,  Virginia,  in  the  year 
1835.  Mr.  Bachtel  was  present.  He  had 
received  for  his  year  of  toil  eighty  dollars. 
Concerning  him,  the  minutes  of  this  confer- 
ence say:  "Moved,  seconded,  and  carried,  that 
Jacob  Bachtel  have  the  privilege  to  administer 
the  ordinance  of  baptism."  It  would  seem 
from  this  extract  from  the  minutes,  that,  in  the 
view  of  the  conference,  ordination  was  not  nec- 
essary in  order  to  administer  one  of  the  sacra- 
ments of  the  church,  a  circumstance  which 
must  be  somewhat  shocking  to  high-church 
notions  of  propriety.  From  this  conference 
Mr.  Bachtel  was  sent  to  the  South  Branch 
Circuit. 

This  circuit  had  been  organized  in  1833,  and 
Rev.  J.  M.  Ilershey,  now  of  the  St.  Joseph 
Conference,  had  been  appointed  to  it.  The  ter- 
ritory was  large,  embracing  Hampshire  and 
Hardy  counties.  The  character  of  the  country 
was  rough  and  mountainous,  and  the  people,  in 
many  instances,  were  rude  and  uneducated. 
For  these  people  Mr.  Bachtel  felt  a  tender  re- 
gard, and  addressed  himself  to  the  work  of 
their  moral  and  intellectual  improvement  with 
characteristic  industry.     Said  one,  now  living : 


56  BIOGRAPHY   OF 

"Brother  Bachtel  did  not  have  as  many  reviv- 
als on  our  circuit  as  others,  yet  his  work  was 
permanent."  This  is  a  noble  testimony  to  the 
high  worth  of  the  man. 

Having  filled  the  measure  of  duty  as  a  faith- 
ful embassador  of  Jesus,  he  attended  the  Vir- 
ginia Conference,  in  1836,  which  convened  at 
Geeting's  meeting-house,  Washington  County, 
Maryland.  His  report  of  salary  received  was 
fifty-five  dollars,  hardly  enough  to  keep  a  man 
alive.  He  was  returned  to  this  circuit,  with  its 
hard  toil  and  meager  support.  He  received 
the  appointment  without  a  murmur,  although 
it  was  taxing  him  beyond  his  power  of  endur- 
ance. 


JACOB   BACHTEL.  57 


CHAPTER    V. 

Incidents  of  the  year- Cunningham,  Richards,  Sticklcy — con- 
ference- of  1837 — is  ordained — health  failed — supernumerary  ra 
part — conference  of  1838 — is  elected  presiding  elder — sent  to  Vir- 
ginia— is  married — visited  Western  Virginia — a  comparison — 
elected  presiding  elder  in  1839;  returned  to  Virginia  District — 
visited  Pendleton  County — again  elected  presiding  elder  in  1840, 
and  sent  to  his  old  district — covetousness  in  the  church — quarter- 
age— he  labors  to  remove  the  difficulty — small  salary — conference 
of  1841-  sent  to  his  old  district — sent  to  Frederick  Circuit  of  1842 
— in  1843  sent  to  Hagerstown  Circuit — John  Richards'  testimony 
— attended  the  conference  of  1844. 

A  few  facts  and  incidents  are  preserved, 
which  occurred  during  this  year.  Mr.  Bach- 
tel  extended  his  labors  into  Pendleton  County, 
and  preached  in  an  old  house  on  the  farm  of 
Isaac  Phares.  This  was  perhaps  the  first  ser- 
mon ever  preached  in  this  county  by  a  United 
Brethren  minister,  and  there  are  those  now 
living  who  still  remember  it.  Rev.  William 
Cunningham,  of  Jackson  County,  West  Vir- 
ginia, heard  Mr.  Bachtel  preach,  and  joined  the 
church.  He  remembers  him  as  an  earnest  and 
pious  minister,  and  industrious  in  acquiring  a 

5 


58  BIOGRAPHY    OF 

thorough   knowledge  of  the  doctrines  of  the 
Bible. 

Rev.  John  Richards,  now  of  Iowa,  was  con- 
verted, joined  the  church,  and  received  baptism 
at  the  hands  of  Mr.  Bachtel  this  year.  Rev. 
Benjamin  Stickley,  formerly  of  the  Virginia 
Conference,  lived  in  the  bounds  of  this  circuit, 
and  held  quarterly  conference  license  to  preach. 
He  was  a  very  eccentric  man,  and,  before  his 
conversion,  was  very  wicked,  having  conducted 
a  distillery  for  a  number  of  years.  He  was 
also  a  man  of  uncommon  strength.  Living 
near  to  him  was  a  mulatto  woman  and  son. 
This  family  was  disposed  to  annoy  him  in  any 
way  they  could.  To  them  belonged  a  horse, 
which  could  pass  over  almost  any  fence,  and 
was  certain  to  find  Stickley 's  corn-field.  He 
had  expostulated  with  these  persons,  but  with- 
out avail.  At  length  his  wife,  losing  her 
patience,  told  him  that  his  religion  was  likely 
to  cost  him  a  great  deal,  and  bring  the  family 
to  want.  Stung  by  the  reproaches  of  his  wife, 
he  went  out  to  his  corn-field,  and  finding  the 
horse  there,  turned  him  out,  drove  him  to  the 
house,  and  told  the  young  man  that  he  must 
keep  the  horse  away  from  the  corn-field  or  he 


JACOB   BACHTEL.  59 

would  kill  him.  The  fellow,  presuming  on 
Stickler's  religion,  was  very  saucy,  and  told 
him  that  he  should  not  trouble  himself  to  keep 
the  horse  out  of  the  field.  Stickley  told  him 
to  hush,  or  it  would  not  be  good  for  him.  The 
mulatto  turned  the  side  of  his  head  to  him,  and 
dared  him  to  strike.  Quick  as  thought  he 
dealt  him  a  powerful  blow,  which  stretched 
him  on  the  ground  in  a  seemingly  lifeless  con- 
dition. The  old  lady  came  out  greatly  ex- 
cited, exclaiming  vehemently:  "You're  a  purty 
preacher;  you  got  good  'ligion  dat  lets  you 
kill  a  man."  Mr.  Stickley  left  the  spot  in  a 
terrible  state  of  mind.  He  felt  that  he  had 
degraded  himself,  and  supposed  that  when  Mr. 
Bachtel  heard  it,  he  would  expel  him  from  the 
church  at  once.  His  mental  suffering  could 
not  be  described,  and  to  get  relief  in  some  way 
he  left  home  in  search  of  his  preacher.  In  the 
meantime  Mr.  Bachtel  had  heard  of  the  cir- 
cumstance; and  some  persons  of  influence  had 
advised  him  not  to  bring  Stickley  to  trial,  from 
the  fact  that  he  had  been  provoked  until  for- 
bearance was  out  of  the  question.  When  they 
met,  he  told  Mr.  Bachtel  that  he  (Stickley) 
was  ruined,  and  gave  him  a  truthful  account  of 


60  BTOGRAPHY   OF 

the  whole  matter.     Said  Mr.  Bachtel:  ''Well, 

Ben,  I  expect  that  you  did  not  do  much  wrong; 
and  as  you  are  sorry,  I'll  let  it  go."  The  joy 
of  Stickley  was  unbounded  when  he  heard 
this.  A  short  time  after  this  the  young  mu- 
latto professed  religion,  whereupon  Mr.  Stick- 
ley  said:  "I  knocked  the  grace  of  God  into 
that  fellow" — a  declaration  to  be  received  with 
a  great  deal  of  allowance. 

Mr.  Bachtel  attended  the  conference  of  1837. 
Bishop  Heistand  presided,  and  preached  from 
Acts,  chapter  10,  verse  47 ;  after  which  Messrs. 
Bachtel  and  Baer  were  ordained  elders  in  the 
Church  of  the  United  Brethren  in  Christ.  Mr. 
Bachtel  at  this  time  was  very  much  broken 
down  in  health.  His  arduous  labors  in  the 
mountains  of  Virginia  had  been  more  than  his 
physical  strength  could  support.  His  throat 
was  so  far  injured  as  to  disqualify  him  for  act- 
ive labor.  Accordingly,  he  was  granted  a 
supernumerary  relation,  with  the  understand- 
in0,  that  he  was  to  labor  all  he  could  on  the 
Frederick  and  Hagerstown  circuits.  Geo.  B. 
Rimal  had  charge  of  the  former,  and  William 
Nott  of  the  latter.  By  prudence  and  modera- 
tion in  his  labor,  he  improved  very  much  in 
health  during  the  year. 


JACOB    BAXJHTEL.  61 

At  the  conference  of  1833  he  was  elected 
presiding  elder,  and  sent  to  a  district  in  Vir- 
ginia. On  the  7th  day  of  June,  of  this  year, 
he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Sarah  A. 
Smith,  of  Hardy  County,  Virginia.  He  was 
very  fortunate  in  his  choice,  and  found  in  this 
lady  a  true  helpmate  in  the  toils  of  his  itin- 
erant life.  To  her  Mr.  Bachtel  is  largely  in- 
debted for  his  usefulness  and  success  as  a  min- 
ister. Though  broken  in  health  and  liable  to 
die  in  a  moment,  she  still  insisted  on  her  hus- 
band continuing  in  the  field.  Her  record  is  on 
high. 

The  fruit  of  this  marriage  was  a  son,  John 
W.  Bachtel,  to  whom  he  managed  to  give  a 
fair  literary  training,  before  he  grew  up  to 
manhood.  He  afterwards  studied  medicine, 
and  is  now  a  successful  physician  in  Jackson 
County,  West  Virginia.  He  possesses  many 
of  the  physical  and  mental  characteristics  of 
his  father. 

During  this  year  Mr.  Bachtel  visited  West 
Virginia,  and  penetrated  its  wilds  as  far  as  the 
Great  Kanawha.  He  traversed  hundreds  of 
miles  without  meeting  one  dozen  United  Breth- 
ren.    In   the   same   territory   there   are  now 


62  BIOGRAPHY   OF 

three  thousand  members  and  twentv  traveling 
preachers,  with  nearly  forty  meeting-houses. 
He  lived  to  see  all  this  spring  up  in  the  wil- 
derness through  which  he  had  passed  as  a  soli- 
tary traveler. 

In  1839  he  was  again  elected  presiding 
elder,  and  returned  to  the  same  district.  He 
moved  his  family  to  the  valley  of  Virginia,  so 
as  to  be  more  convenient  to  his  work.  During 
this  year  he  held  a  quarterly  meeting  on  Dry 
Run,  Pendleton  County.  Alenbaugh  and  Pat- 
terson were  with  him.  Mr.  Bachtel  preached 
on  Sunday  morning  on  the  "water  of  life." 
He  is  represented,  by  one  who  heard  him,  as 
preaching  an  excellent  sermon.  The  house 
was  very  small,  and  the  majority  of  the  people 
were  outside.  Although  it  rained  very  hard, 
the  people  were  so  interested  that  they  stood 
in  the  rain  and  listened  until  the  sermon  was 
ended,  lie  did  nearly  all  the  preaching  at 
this  meeting;  and  mony  were  converted  and 
added  to  the  church.  In  1840  he  was  again 
elected  presiding  elder,  and  returned  to  the 
same  district.  The  same  energy  and  industry 
marked  his  labors  as  in  the  past. 

It  was  about  this  time  that  Mr.  Bachtel's 


JACOB    BACHTEL.  63 

fine  abilities  as  a  financier  began  to  be  devel- 
oped.  There  was  wealth  in  the  church,  but 
our  people  had  not  been  educated  to  give  as 
the  Lord  had  prospered  them.  Men  who  were 
worth  their  thousands  believed  that  quarterage 
was  paying  twenty -five  cents,  or  a  quarter  of  a 
dollar  every  three  months,  amounting  to  the 
round  sum  of  one  dollar  a  year;  and  this  was 
all  they  gave.  Mr.  Bachtel  knew  very  well 
that  the  church  could  never  succeed  unless  he 
could  get  the  people  to  enlarge  their  contribu- 
tions. To  accomplish  this,  he  visited  the  mem- 
bers at  their  homes,  and  kindly,  yet  earnestly, 
labored  to  convince  them  of  their  duty.  It 
was  far  from  being  a  pleasant  work,  for  he 
had  to  encounter  prejudices  of  the  most  stub- 
born character.  Their  education  was  averse 
to  giving,  and  they  said  that  men  should  not 
preach' for  money,  as  to  do  so  was  a  great  sin; 
and  these  "good"  people  were  determined,  so 
far  as  their  money  was  concerned,  if  the 
preacher  did  preach  for  it  he  should  not  have 
it,  Mr.  Bachtel  tried  to  show  them  that  with- 
out money  the  interests  of  the  church  could 
never  be  kept  alive.  He  told  them  farther  that 
men  with  talent  sufficient  to  make  respectable 


64  BIOGRAPHY    OF 

preachers  could,  by  turning  their  atten- 
tion to  medicine  or  law,  acquire  affluence  with 
less  labor  and  suffering.  This  was  true  then, 
and  is  true  yet;  and  the  reason  why  men  have 
continued  in  the  itinerancy  while  getting  such 
small  salaries,  is  because  they  have  had  more 
religion  than  the  people  among  whom  they 
labor.  He  introduced  this  subject  at  family 
worship,  and  prayed  that  the  people  might  be- 
come so  enlightened  as  to  know  their  duty, 
and  then  receive  grace  to  enable  them  to  do 
it.  This  was  a  very  important  prayer,  and 
might  be  imitated  with  profit  in  the  present 
day.  His  labor  in  this  matter  had  a  reward. 
Men  who  had  never  given  more  than  one  dol- 
lar a  year  were  now  induced  to  give  five. 
This,  to  some  extent,  relieved  the  ministers  of 
the  pinching  want  that  had  oppressed  them. 

At  the  conference  of  184 L  he  was  again 
elected  presiding  elder,  and  re-appointed  to  his 
old  district,  a  fact  which  was  no  mean  proof 
of  his  popularity.  During  one  of  these  years 
he  moved  three  times,  one  of  the  most  un- 
pleasant things  in  a  preacher's  life.  In  this 
year  he  again  visited  Pendleton  County,  and 
held  a  quarterly  meeting  on  "Far  Dry  Run." 


JACOB   BACIITEL.  65 

On  Sabbath  he  preached  from  the  words, 
"Happy  art  thou,  0  Israel,"  &c.  The  meet- 
ing was  continued  several  days,  with  fine 
results,  Mr.  Bachtcl  doing  most  of  the  preach- 
ing. Anions;  the  numerous  converts  were 
several  old  men,  who  had  long  resisted  the  in- 
fluence of  the  gospel.  His  salary,  while  on  the 
district,  did  not  average  one  hundred  dollars. 
This  is  disgraceful ;  and  it  is  hard  to  realize 
that  such  a  people  deserve  the  benefits  of 
preaching,  or  can  get  to  heaven. 

In  1842  he  was  sent  to  Frederick  Circuit, 
J.  J.  Glossbrenner,  presiding  elder.  He  soon 
infused  his  own  energy  into  his  people,  and 
was  favored  with  precious  revivals  at  different 
points  on  this  work.  He  remained  here  but 
one  year,  and  was  sent,  in  1843,  to  Hagerstown 
Circuit,  with  John  Richards,  one  of  his  spirit- 
ual children,  for  a  colleague.  Mr.  Richards 
says  of  him:  "I  knew  him  to  be  a  zealous  and 
persevering  minister  of  the  gospel.  No  trial 
was  too  hard,  no  trouble  too  great,  no  tempta- 
tion too  strong,  and  no  affliction  too  deep."  A 
noble  testimony  to  Mr.  Bachtel's  faithfulness 
as  a  minister  of  Jesus.  True  to  his  work,  he 
exerted  all  his  power  to  accomplish  it. 


66  BIOGRArilY   OF 

In  1844  conference  was  held  at  Jennings 
Branch.  Mr.  Bachtel  was  present,  and  was 
wide  awake  to  every  interest  of  the  church. 


JACOB   BACHTEL.  6' 


CHAPTER    VI. 

Returned  to  Hagerstown — elected  to  General  Conference — dis- 
parity— education — a  course  of  study  marked  out — was  returned 
to  Hagerstown  with  Richard  Nihiser — in  184(5  was  sent  to  Wood- 
stock Circuit — tenth  legion- -success — conference  of  1847 — returned 
to  same  circuit — conference  of  1848 — again  elected  to  General  Con- 
ference—conference of  1849— Bishop  Kumler  on  combing  hair — 
lent  to  Woodstock  Circuit — General  Conference — secrecy — he 
makes  a  speech — another  speech— slavery — his  views  on  the  sub- 
ject— systems  opposed  to  Christianity. 

Mr.  Bachtel  was  returned  to  Hagerstown, 
and  soon  drew  around  him  a  number  of  friends 
who  stood  by  him  to  the  last,  and  to  whom  his 
memory  is  still  precious. 

He  was  now  generally  and  favorably  known 
in  his  conference,  and  all  who  knew  him,  and 
loved  the  right,  were  his  friends.  Hence  his 
name  was  popular  in  connection  with  a  seat  in 
the  approaching  General  Conference.  He  was 
elected  to  the  ninth  General  Conference,  with 
Glossbrenner  and  Markwood  for  colleagues. 
This  conference  convened  at  Circleville,  Ohio, 
May  12th,  1845.  Several  questions  of  impor- 
tance occupied  the  attention  of  this  body.    For 


68  BIOGRAPHY   OF 

some  time  past  the  question  of  depravity  had 
been  agitated  in  some  portions  of  the  church. 
There  were  those  in  the  church  who  did  not 
believe  that  infants  Avere  by  nature  depraved. 
Tli is  was  contrary  to  the  views  held  by  the 
fathers  of  the  church.  A  test  vote  was  reached, 
resulting  in  affirming  the  doctrine  of  the 
church  by  an  overwhelming  majority.  Mr. 
Bachtel  voted  for  orthodoxy.  It  was  also  de- 
cided at  this  conference  that  the  confession  of 
faith  and  constitution  could  not  be  changed, 
except  by  a  two-thirds  vote  of  the  whole 
church. 

The  question  of  education  in  the  church  was 
also  discussed  at  considerable  length  during 
this  session.  Prior  to  this  time  the  church  lnxd 
done  nothing  for  the  education  of  the  young 
people  in  its  fold.  The  members  of  General 
Conference  foresaw  that  unless  we,  as  a  church, 
provided  schools  in  which  to  train  the  young, 
they  would  seek  these  facilities  elsewhere,  and 
be  lost  to  us.  Mr.  Bachtel  favored  the  educa- 
tional movement  set  on  foot  at  that  time,  and 
ever  afterward  remained  the  unfaltering  friend 
of  our  schools.  A  course  of  study  was  also 
provided  for  all  2^crsons  who  should  enter  the 


JACOB   BACHTEL.  69 

ministry  of  our  church.  This  was  the  most 
important  action  of  the  conference  of  1845.  It 
is  hardly  necessary  to  say  that  Mr.  Bachtel 
voted  for  its  adoption.  Thoroughly  versed  in 
doctrine  himself,  he  insisted  on  all  ministers 
becoming  well  acquainted  with  the  teachings 
of  the  Scriptures. 

He  continued  his  labors  on  the  Hagerstown 
charge  with  much  success,  gathering  many 
into  the  fold  of  Christ,  until  conference,  which 
convened  atMyersville,  Maryland.  Mr.  Bach- 
tel was  again  returned  to  the  Hagerstown  Cir- 
cuit, with  Richard  ]Nihiser  for  his  colleague. 
This  is  the  best  indorsement  of  his  usefulness 
and  acceptability  as  a  minister.  J.  Mark  wood 
was  presiding  elder  part  of  the  time  while  he 
traveled  this  circuit;  and  as  the  district  was 
small,  they  were  much  together,  and  became 
very  intimate.  They  were  almost  as  much 
united  and  attached  as  David  and  Jonathan. 
Agreeing  upon  every  leading  subject,  they  did 
much  to  mold  the  sentiment  and  control  the 
action  of  the  Virginia  Conference.  Mr.  Bach- 
tel finished  up  the  third  year  of  his  labor  on 
this  circuit  with  credit  to  himself  and  profit  to 
the  church.     He  left  his  house  in  good  order, 


70  BIOGRAPHY   OF 

so  that  his  successor  would  find  all  pleasant 
when  he  should  come  on. 

The  conference  convened  at  Mill  Creek, 
Shenandoah  County,  Virginia,  in  1846.  At 
this  session  he  was  appointed  to  Woodstock 
Circuit.  This  field  of  labor  was  located  in  the 
celebrated  "Tenth  Legion,"  the  stronghold  of 
pro-slavery  Democracy  in  Virginia.  In  view 
of  this,  it  was  not  the  most  inviting  field  for  a 
man  of  Mr.  Bachtel's  "old  Whig"  instincts, 
nor  was  it  a  very  hopeful  field  in  which  to 
plant  the  ideas  of  the  church.  Ignorance, 
political  bigotry,  and  prejudice  were  staples  of 
the  country,  making  it  the  "sleepy  hollow"  of 
the  country  west  of  the  Blue  Ridge  Mount- 
ains. It  is  not  to  be  inferred  from  this,  how- 
ever, that  the  labors  of  Mr.  Bachtel  were  bar- 
ren of  good  results.  He  could  not  labor  with- 
out doing  good.  Obeying  high  and  holy  con- 
victions of  duty,  he  thrust  in  the  sickle  of  truth 
and  gathered  many  precious  sheaves  to  be  gar- 
nered in  the  day  of  God.  The  support  to  be 
gathered  from  this  field  was  very  meager;  but 
this  did  not  deter  him  from  duty.  Trusting  in 
the  Master  by  whom  he  had  been  called,  and 
enforcing  a  rigid  economy  in  his  expenditures, 


JACOB   BACHTEL.  71 

he  fought  bravely  through  the  year,  and  finished 
his  duties  with  the  satisfaction  arising  from  the 
consciousness  of  duty  well  performed. 

In  18i7  the  conference  met  at  Mt.  Hebron, 
Washington  County,  Maryland.  He  was 
returned  to  the  same  circuit,  and  spent  another 
year  of  faithful  toil  without  a  colleague. 

In  1818  conference  convened  at  Church ville, 
Augusta  County,  Virginia.  Mr.  Bachtel  was 
present,  and  took  an  active  part  in  the  busi- 
ness. During  this  vear  he  was  elected  to  the 
tenth  General  Conference. 

The  Virginia  Conference  convened  at  Bethel, 
Maryland,  January  25th,  1849.  Bishops  Kum- 
ler  and  Erb  were  present.  Bishop  Kumler 
threatened  the  members  of  conference  with 
Ohio  combs,  from  the  fact,  as  he  said,  "that 
they  combed  forward  and  not  backward,  as 
the  Virginia  combs  did."  Mr.  Bachtel's  hair 
was  coarse  and  stood  up  most  persistently,  and 
hence  he  received  the  full  force  of  the  Bishop's 
battery.  He  was  greatly  amused,  and  lived 
long  enough  to  see  the  good  Bishop  use  a 
"  Virginia  comb." 

From  this  conference  Mr.  Bachtel  was  ap- 
pointed to  Staunton   Circuit.     He   had  been 

f 


72  BIOGRAPHY   OF 

continued  on  Woodstock  three  years,  as  long 
as  the  Discipline  permitted.  The  Staunton 
Circuit  was  a  large  field,  requiring  much  toil 
to  cultivate  it.  But  to  this  kind  of  work  he 
had  become  inured,  by  an  itinerant  experience 
of  fifteen  years.  He  made  his  home  in  Day- 
ton, Rockingham  County,  Virginia,  still  in  the 
"Tenth  Legion." 

The  General  Conference  convened  in  Ger- 
mantown,  Ohio,  May  14th,  1849.  The  colleagues 
of  Mr.  Bachtel  were  H.  Burtner  and  J.  Mark- 
wood.  Early  in  the  session  the  subject  of 
secrecy  was  brought  before  the  conference,  by 
a  committee,  which  presented  the  rule  found  in 
our  book  of  Discipline,  up  to  1861.  The  Vir- 
ginia delegates  were  divided  on  the  question, 
Messrs.  Bachtel  and  Markwood  opposing  the 
report,  and  Mr.  Burtner  favoring,  although  he 
was  neutral  when  a  vote  was  reached.  Pend- 
ing the  motion  to  adopt  the  report  of  the  com- 
mittee, Mr.  Bachtel  made  an  address,  which 
is  reported  as  follows : 

"Mr.  President: — I  am  opposed  to  the 
passage  of  this  report.  I  may  be  alone  in  this, 
but  this  is  no  reason  why  I  should  not  oppose 
it.     I  am  no  milk-and-water  man,  and  am  not 


JACOB   BACIITEL.  73 

ashamed  or  afraid  to  utter  my  sentiments. 
This  report  includes  all  secret  orders.  I  am 
not  much,  if  any,  opposed  to  Masonry,  and  can 
not  and  will  not  turn  a  man  out  of  the  church, 
or  refuse  him  admission  to  the  church,  on  ac- 
count of  his  being  a  Mason.  The  Odd-fellows 
are  of  ancient  origin,  having  been  instituted  in 
the  days  of  Julius  Caesar;  a  branch  having 
broken  off,  are  styled  the  'Independent  Order 
of  Odd-fellows.'  I  can  not  turn  them  out  or 
reject  them.  The  object  of  the  Sons  of  Tem- 
perance is  grand,  noble,  and  benevolent.  They 
put  down  distillation,  and  have  done  much 
good.  The  'Sons'  have  much  opposition  from 
grog-sellers,  distillers,  moderate  drinkers,  and 
ministers.  Their  secrecy  is  no  just  ground  of 
objection.  We  must  have  secrets  between 
confidential  friends,  families,  &c.  The  disci- 
ples had  secrets;  warriors  have  secrets,  the 
countersign;  the  church  has  secrets;  annual 
conferences  have  secrets;  sometimes  it  is  nec- 
essary for  them  to  have  secret  sessions,  and 
there  ought  to  be  more.  These  societies  must 
have  secrets  (tests)  to  secure  themselves  against 
fraud  and  imposition.  It  is  urged  against 
these  societies  that  it  is  wrong  to  unite  with 

G 


74  BIOGRAPHY   OF 

the  wicked.  The  apostle  uses  the  command  to 
come  out  from  among  the  wicked  in  a  quali- 
fied sense.  We  are  not  to  unite  with  them  in 
lying,  swearing,  &c.  They  are  doing  good  in 
Virginia,  and  many  drunkards  are  being  re- 
formed." 

The  discussion  was  of  such  a  character  as  to 
develop  a  deep-seated  hostility  to  secrecy. 
Mr.  Bachtel's  speech,  which  was  very  imper- 
fectly reported,  provoked  a  number  of  spirited 
replies.  Copious  quotations  from  the  Bible 
were  made,  and  many  doubtless  thought  that 
they  were  giving  the  legitimate  interpretation 
when  using  them  against  secret  societies, 
After  a  number  of  speeches  had  been  made  in 
favor  of  the  report,  Mr.  Bachtel  once  more  ob- 
tained the  floor,  and  said: 

Mr.  President: — I  know  that  we  shall  be 
voted  down,  but  let  us  struggle  a  little  before 
we  die.  I  am  still  unconvinced.  The  remarks 
made  I  conceive  foreign  to  the  subject;  the 
Scripture  quotations  are  inapplicable.  The 
Sons  of  Temperance  have  done  much  good  in 
Virginia,  and  have  been  the  means  of  reform- 
ing many  drunkards.  The  passage  of  this  res- 
olution will  nearly  ruin  the  church  in  our  con- 
ference." 


JACOB   BACHTEL.  75 

The  vote  on  the  report  stood:  yeas,  thirty- 
three,  and  nays,  two — Bachtel  and  Markwood. 
The  vote  of  Mr.  Bachtel  proved  his  honesty 
and  sincerity  in  opposing  the  measure. 

Another  question  which  has  occupied  a 
prominent  place  in  the  literature  and  legisla- 
tion of  the  church,  was  before  this  conference. 
I  mean  the  question  of  slavery.  The  early 
ministers  of  the  church  looked  upon  slavery  as 
an  evil,  though  it  is  doubtful  whether  the  oppo- 
sition to  it  was  as  marked  and  intense  sixty 
years  ago  as  in  the  last  twenty  years  of  our 
history.  The  first  rule  against  slavery,  adopted 
by  the  church,  was  passed  by  the  General 
Conference  of  1821,  about  thirty-five  years 
after  the  organization  of  the  church.  This 
rule  was  mild,  and  gave  to  the  annual  confer- 
ences the  power  to  regulate  the  manumission 
of  slaves  held  by  our  people.  This  law  was 
far  below  the  sentiment  of  the  church,  in  later 
years,  because  it  in  one  sense  recognized  the 
right  of  property  in  the  slave,  and  made  pro- 
vision for  compensated  emancipation ;  in  other 
words,  it  did  not  deprive  the  master  of  his 
slaves  without  setting  the  worth  of  them.  The 
present  rule  was  adopted  some  years  afterward. 


76  BIOGRAPHY   OF 

Mr.  Bachtcl  regarded  the  rule  of  1821  as 
being  the  best  and  safest  on  a  subject  of  such 
importance.  When  it  was  proposed  to  re-affirm 
the  rule  on  slavery,  which  had  been  passed 
at  a  former  general  conference,  Mr.  Bachtel 
voted  in  the  negative.  In  doing  so,  he  voted 
against  the  rule  now  in  our  book  of  Discipline. 
Justice  requires  a  statement  of  his  views  on 
this  subject,  as  he  was  understood  by  many 
to  be  intensely  pro-slavery  in  his  opinions.  It 
can  not  be  denied  that  his  mind  had  received 
a  bias  from  education  and  association,  those 
great  molders  of  opinion,  yet  he  was  very  far 
from  being  an  extremist.  He  was  naturally 
cautious  in  adopting  any  theory  involving  a 
moral  principle.  His  mind  belonged  to  a 
severely  logical  class,  and  reached  conclusions 
with  slow  and  cautious  steps,  and  by  the  aid  of 
intervening  ideas.  Having  carefully  studied 
history,  both  sacred  and  profane,  he  said:  "It 
is  evident  from  the  teachings  of  history,  first, 
that  God  has  permitted  the  enslavement  of 
people  for  their  crimes;  but  in  the  second 
place  it  is  also  taught  that  God  has  afterward 
prepared  the  way  for,  and  consummated  their 
deliverance    when    they    had    suffered    long 


JACOB    BACHTEL.  77 

enough."  And  said  lie,  pleasantly:  "I  am 
almost  a  Calvin ist,  as  you  know,  and  I  can  not 
tell  God's  time."  It  was  his  opinion  that  men 
could  be  so  excited,  even  in  a  good  cause,  as  to 
outrun,  in  their  zeal,  the  divine  purpose,  and 
in  this  do  wrong.  While  he  considered  slav- 
ery an  evil,  and  believed  that  it  must  ulti- 
mately be  destroyed  by  our  rapidly  improving 
civilization,  yet  he  thought  that  men  ought  to 
be  certain  that  the  "set  time"  to  " favor"  this 
unfortunate  race  had  fully  come.  Slavery  was 
so  interwoven  with  the  social  fabric  of  the 
South,  as  to  make  it  exceedingly  difficult  to 
remove  it  without  rudely  unsettling  institu- 
tions of  great  utility  to  the  country.  Thou- 
sands of  honest  men  in  the  South,  and  amomr 
them  Mr.  Bachtel,  foresaw  that  slavery  would 
be  slain  by  amalgamation;  that  this  would 
ultimate^  bring  about  the  equality  of  races, 
deprecated  by  the  people  in  all  sections.  The 
white  and  black  races  would  have  both  been 
lost  in  the  yellow,  or  mixed  race.  In  view  of 
the  social  and  political  relations,  he  thought 
that  divine  wisdom  and  power  should  be  in- 
voked. When  the  rebellion  broke  out  he  was 
one   of   the   first   to   foresee   its   effects   upon 


78  BIOGRAPHY   OF 

slavery.  That  it  would  perish  in  the  conflict 
was  an  earnest  conviction,  an  intuition  of  his 
mind. 

Said  he  to  the  writer,  on  one  occasion:  "I 
suppose  that  I  have  understood  history  aright; 
the  negroes  will  all  be  made  free."  Again  he 
said:  "This  is  a  portentious  century.  Four 
things  have  prevented  the  universal  spread  of 
the  gospel — infidelity,  Roman  Catholicism, 
Mohammedanism,  and  slavery.  All  but  infi- 
delity have  been  protected  by  law.  Infidelity 
is  becoming  very  feeble ;  slavery  is  as  good  as 
dead ;  and  the  death  warrants  of  the  others  are 
beino-  made  out.  And  whoever  lives  to  see  the 
year  nineteen  hundred,  will  see  that  all  these 
systems  have  been  destroyed.  Then  the  spread 
of  the  gospel  will  be  unparalleled  as  to  rapidity 
and  power."  On  another  occasion  he  said:  "I 
have  learned  another  lesson  from  history,  and 
that  is,  it  is  not  only  the  duty  of  the  nation  to 
give  the  slaves  freedom,  but  to  restore  them  to 
their  fatherland;  and  who  knows  but  this  is 
God's  plan  to  civilize  Africa." 

He  died  with  these  opinions  unchanged;  but 
whether  he  was  correct  the  future  alone  can 
determine. 


JACOB   BACHTEL.  79 


CHAPTER    VII. 

Work  on  his  circuit— report  to  conference— conference  of  1850 
— on  committee — boundary  committee — paying  debts — offers  an 
important  resolution  on  missions — bis  views  on  missions — wood 
and  turnip  thief — conference  of  1851 — elected  presiding  elder — 
work  of  Stationing  Committee  changed — the  result — ministerial 
activity  —  sermon  on  Restitution — conference  of  1852 — again 
electel  presiding  elder— sent  to  Frederick  Circuit  from  the  confer- 
ence of  1853 — a  contrast — church  property  insecure — again  elected 
to  General  Conference — importance  of  this  General  Conference — 
printing  establishment  — missionary  society — baptism — depravity 
— conference  of  1854 — is  elected  presiding  elder  and  sent  to  Mary- 
land District — at  Hebron — preaches — camp-meeting  on  B:Uh  Cir- 
cuit—a "smart"  preacher — Stick  ley's  sermon — rowdies — character 
as  a  presiding  elder— conference  of  1855 — Mr,  Bachtel's  remarks 
on  the  conference  floor — elected  presiding  elder — elected  trustee  of 
Mt.  Pleasant  College — experience  at  a  tavern — conference  could 
not  meet  at  West  Columbia,  D.  C, 

On  Mr.  Bachtel's  return  from  General  Con- 
ference, he  prosecuted  his  work  with  great 
industry,  and  not  without  success.  Indeed,  he 
always  labored  for  success,  and  almost  invari- 
ably received  his  washes. 

The  following,  taken  from  the  journal  of  the 
Virginia  Conference,  will  give  the  reader  an 
idea  of  what  was  accomplished:  He  had  seven- 
teen appointments;    received  sixty-five   mem- 


89  LIOGRAPHY   OF 

bers;  collected  for  missions,  thirty-two  dollars. 
His  salary  was  two  hundred  and  sixty  dollars 
and  sixty-nine  cents.  It  is  evident  that  it 
required  almost  constant  labor  to  meet  these 
seventeen  appointments  once  in  four  weeks;  yet 
they  were  met  regularly,  for  Mr.  Bachtel  never 
missed  an  appointment  unless  he  was  hindered 
by  what  he  considered  providential  interference. 
For  all  this  toil  he  received  less  than  three 
hundred  dollars;  and  with  this  he  must  pay 
house  rent  and  traveling  expenses.  One  can 
easily  conceive  how  rigid  was  the  economy  of 
his  home,  and  how  strong  the  faith  necessary 
to  meet  the  labors  and  discouragements  of  such 
a  life.  He  was  impelled  by  lofty  convictions 
of  duty ;  and  it  was  not  in  his  nature  to  shrink 
from  anything;  it  was  his  duty  to  perform. 

He  attended  the  conference  of  1850,  which 
met  near  Strasburg,  Virginia,  and  was  active 
in  the  business  of  the  session.  He  was  one  of 
the  committee  to  examine  applicants  for 
license  to  preach,  and  assisted  in  the  examina- 
tion of  those  present.  He  was  very  efficient 
in  work  of  this  kind. 

The  report  of  the  Committee  on  Boundaries 
was  very  imperfect,   and,  on  motion  of  Mr. 


JACOB   BACHTEL.  81 

Bachtel,  it  was  referred  to  the  Stationing  Com- 
mittee for  revision.  Again,  on  his  motion, 
money  was  given  the  secretary,  with  which  to 
purchase  a  new  conference  journal.  He  was 
punctual  in  paying  his  debts,  and  wanted 
everybody  els'e  to  do  the  same.  At  this  con- 
ference he  took  occasion  to  help  a  brother  in  a 
matter  of  this  kind;  whether  the  help  was 
acceptable,  I  know  not,  A  member  of  confer- 
ence was  in  debt,  and  at  this  session  there  was 
due  this  member  ten  dollars.  Mr.  Bachtel 
moved  that  this  money  be  equally  divided 
between  the  two  creditors.  He  was  appointed 
to  write  an  obituary  of  Rev.  Mr.  Zaring,  a 
member  of  the  conference. 

Mr.  Bachtel  induced  the  conference  to  put 
their  "benevolent  fund"  money  in  the  hands 
of  Rev.  Henry  Burton,  which  proved  a 
judicious  arrangement.  During  this  session  he 
offered  the  following  resolution:  "Resolved, 
That  we  lift  a  collection  at  each  annual  confer- 
ence, for  foreign  missions,  and  that  conference 
instruct  its  members  to  get  as  much  as  possible 
by  private  collections."  So  far  as  is  known  to 
the  writer,  this  was  the  first  money  collected 
in  the  church  for  this  purpose.     This  resolution 


82  BIOGRAPHY    OF 

was  offered  in  the  early  part  of  1850,  and 
not  until  two  years  later  was  the  idea  of  a  for- 
eign mission  developed  by  the  annual  confer- 
ence action.  He  has  the  honor  of  giving 
tangibility  to  a  movement  which  originated  in 
the  General  Conference  of  1841.  •  The  enter- 
prise fell  upon  the  church  "still-born,"  and 
did  not  show  any  signs  of  vitality  whatever. 
In  1845  the  General  Conference  tried  to 
resuscitate  the  measure,  but  it  still  had  no  life. 
Again  the  General  Conference  of  1849  tried  to 
infuse  life  into  the  obstinately  inert  plan,  but 
once  more  failed.  Nine  months  after  the  last  of 
these  failures,  Mr.  Bachtel  cut  the  "gordian 
knot,"  by  proposing  to  his  conference  both 
public  and  private  efforts  to  secure  funds  with 
which  to  plant  a  foreign  mission.  This  was 
the  rational  plan  for  securing  effective  action. 
Resolutions  never  established  a  foreign  mis- 
sion, or  supported  one  after  it  was  established. 
It  might  be  well  to  remark  in  this  connection 
that  the  foreign  mission,  undertaken  by  the 
church,  never  had  the  sympathy  or  confidence 
of  Mr.  Bachtel.  He  thought  that  a  mission  in 
a  more  civilized  country  would  be  better  suited 
to  the  United  Brethren  Church.     It  was  his 


JACOB   BACHTEL.  83 

opinion,  when  the  mission  was  projected,  that 
it  would  be  a  failure.  Its  history  since  it  was 
organized,  in  1856,  has  not  demonstrated  that 
he  was  mistaken. 

Mr.  Bachtel  was  returned  to  the  Stanton 
Circuit,  and  traveled  with  the  following  results: 
Members  received,  one  hundred  and  nineteen; 
increase,  ninety-one;  salary  received,  two  hun- 
dred and  fifty- four  dollars.  This  shows,  if 
possible,  labors  more  abundant,  with  a  smaller 
compensation.  Yet  his  heart  was  light  and 
happy,  when  he  thought  of  his  success  as  a 
minister  of  the  New  Testament,  He  had 
heard  the  cries  of  more  than  one  hundred  con- 
victed sinners,  and  had  also  heard  them 
rejoice;  nay,  more,  he  had  rejoiced  with  them, 
and  his  faith  lifted  itself  up  to  the  unseen  and 
erternal,  and  said,  of  these  there  will  be  some 
saved  in  the  Father's  house. 

During  this  year  he  had  his  wood  and  tur- 
nips stolen.  At  his  first  appointment  in  Day- 
ton, after  the  theft  was  perpetrated,  he  took 
occasion  to  say,  in  his  plain  way,  what  he 
thought  of  such  conduct.  It  was  terrible  to 
listen  to  the  denunciations  he  hurled  at  the 
thief,    "which   thief"    was    present.      Shortly 


84  BIOGRAPHY   OF 

after,  the  Lutherans  had  a  protracted  meeting, 
and  among  the  penitents  was  the  wood  and 
turnip  thief.  He  was  in  great  distress;  and 
concluding  that  confession  was  good  for  the 
burdened  conscience,  he  came  to  Mr.  Bachtel 
and  made  a  "clean  breast"  of  it,  and  sought 
and  obtained  his  forgiveness.  Mr.  Bachtel's 
sermon  had  convicted  him. 

The  conference  convened  at  Rhorersville, 
Maryland,  in  1851.  Mr.  Bachtel  was  present, 
and  was  elected  presiding  elder.  Markwood 
and  Miles  were  also  elected  presiding  elders. 
Bishop  G-lossbrenner  presided  at  this  session. 
The  Stationing  Committee  met,  and  made  the 
appointments  for  the  year,  and,  according  to 
the  arrangement  agreed  upon  in  the  committee' 
room,  Winton  was  to  travel  Winchester  Cir- 
cuit. D.  Spessard  and  I.  K.  Statten  were  sent 
to  Hagerstown  Circuit.  When  the  appoint- 
ments were  read,  Winton  was  sent  to  Hagers- 
town Circuit,  with  Spessard  as  junior,  and 
Statten  was  sent  to  South  Branch.  Mr.  Bach- 
tel went  immediately  to  the  Bishop  and  asked 
why  these  changes  had  been  made.  He  was 
informed  that  Mr.  Markwood  had  made  them, 
and   was   to   submit  the  change  to  the  other 


JACOB   BACHTEL.  85 

elders.  For  some  reason  the  other  members 
of  the  committee  were  not  consulted.  This 
was  unfortunate  from  two  considerations;  first, 
it  drove  Mr.  Spessard  out  of  the  itinerancy, 
and  ultimately  out  of  the  church.  He  felt 
that  he  had  been  degraded  in  being  placed 
under  a  younger  man,  and  would  not  submit. 
Secondly,  Mr.  Spessard  and  his  friends  held 
Mr.  Bachtel  responsible  for  the  "outrage," 
and  he  was  prevented,  by  his  sense  of  honor, 
from  vindicating  his  own  ruputation.  I  mean 
by  this  that  he  could  not  relieve  himself  with- 
out exposing  another,  and  rather  than  do  this, 
he  preferred  to  suffer.  Mr.  Spessard  will  now 
learn  for  the  first  time,  perhaps,  the  real  facts 
in  the  case.  These  facts  are  not  stated  in  a 
spirit  of  vindictiveness,  but  simply  to  relieve 
the  memory  of  a  good  man  from  an  unjust  im- 
putation. 

Mr.  Bachtel's  district  was  composed  of  the 
following  fields:  Rockbridge,  Stanton,  Wood- 
stock, and  Highland.  This  was  a  large  terri- 
tory,  with  high  mountains  and  rapid  rivers  to 
cross.  Mr.  Bachtel  was  very  active  in  his 
official  duties,  braving  firmly  every  difficulty, 
and  had  fine  success,     He  not  only  attended 


86  BIOGRAPHY   OF 

his  quarterly  meetings,  but  also  a  number  of 
protracted  meetings,  thus  leading  the  forces  of 
our  Zion  in  most  of  the  conflicts  of  the  confer- 
ence year.  He  attended  a  meeting  at  Doe 
Hill,  and  preached  a  sermon  on  Restitution, 
which  made  a  profound  impression  on  the  peo- 
ple. Especially  did  those  who  held  in  their 
hands  the  price  of  wrong  tremble,  when  they 
learned  that  this  gain  would,  if  clung  to,  bar 
them  from  heaven.  No  man  loved  better  than 
Mr.  Bachtel  to  tear  the  covering  from  such 
religious  scoundrels,  and  hold  them  up  to  pub- 
lic execration. 

As  an  evidence  of  his  acceptability  and  use- 
fulness, he  was  again  elected  presiding  elder 
at  the  session  of  1852,  and  appointed  to  the 
same  district.  This  instance  of  the  high  regard 
in  which  he  was  held  by  the  conference  did 
not  in  the  least  puff  him  up  or  make  him  the 
less  industrious  as  an  elder.  The  same  tread- 
mill duties  were  performed,  and  the  same  suf- 
fering was  endured.  He  was,  during  this 
time,  receiving  a  very  poor  support ;  but  there 
was  too  much  faith  in  his  heart  to  quit  the 
field  on  that  account.  Of  him  it  may  be  truly 
said,  that  he  never  traveled  for  a  salary,  but 


JACOB   BACHTEL.  87 

to  do  the  work  of  an  evangelist  in  the  church 
of  Christ.  He  could  not  afford  to  be  mercenary 
in  matters  of  religion. 

At  the  session  of  1853  he  was  appointed  to 
Frederick  Circuit,  with  John  Reubush  now  of 
Tennessee.  On  this  circuit  he  commenced  his 
itinerant  life  in  1834,  nineteen  years  before. 
Then  he  was  an  inexperienced  boy,  with  a  sad 
heart,  weeping  as  he  traveled  from  one  appoint- 
ment to  another.  Now  he  is  a  man,  well 
matured  in  body  and  mind.  That  mind  has 
been  enriched  by  the  study  of  the  best  theolog- 
ical and  historical  works  in  his  reach,  and  by 
intercourse  with  "scribes"  well  instructed  in 
the  kingdom  of  God.  He  is  now  a  good 
preacher,  an  able  expounder  of  the  word  of 
God,  a  safe  counselor,  and  a  rigid  disciplina- 
rian. 

He  had  a  successful  year,  and  by  his  upright 
conduct  so  secured  the  friendship  and  love  of 
that  people  as  to  ever  afterwards  be  a  favorite 
among  them.  Indeed,  he  had  more  influence 
with  the  solid  men  of  the  circuit  than  any 
other  man  of  the  conference. 

While  traveling  this  circuit,  he  ascertained 
that  our  church  property  had  not  been  secured 


88  BIOGRAPHY   OF 

according  to  the  law  of  Maryland.  This  law 
required  that  all  church  property  should  be 
incorporated.  In  some  instances,  none  of  the 
original  trustees  were  living,  which  made  it 
necessary  to  have  special  legislation  to  reach 
the  case.  This  Mr.  Bachtel  succeeded  in 
obtaining,  thereby  securing  all  the  property  on 
the  circuit.  It  required  much  time  and  labor, 
and  should  have  been  done  by  others,  but  they 
did  not  feel  the  interest  that  he  did,  and  lacked 
his  business  mind  and  habits. 

Mr.  Bachtel  had  been  elected  to  the  eleventh 
General  Conference  of  the  church,  which  con- 
vened at  Miltonville,  Ohio,  in  May,  1853.  He 
traveled  the  entire  distance  on  horseback, 
accompanied  by  Mr.  Rimal,  one  of  his  col- 
leagues. A  pleasant  ride  across  the  country 
brought  them  to  the  place  of  meeting  in  good 
time  to  engage  in  the  business  cf  the  confer- 
ence. Mr.  Bachtel  was  an  active  member, 
ready  to  advocate  any  measure  intended  to 
enlarge  the  boundaries  and  increase  the  useful- 
ness of  the  church.  This  General  Conference 
was  the  most  important  of  any  that  had  con- 
vened in  the  history  of  the  church.  As  a 
people,  we  had  reached  a  point  at  which  it  was 


JACOB    BAXJHTEL.  89 

necessary  to  adopt  the  best  measures  to  call 
out  all  the  intellectual,  moral,  and  financial 
strength  of  the  church,  and  wield  this  strength 
so  as  to  be  felt  in  every  department  of  labor 
and  thought.  The  age  had  its  claims  upon  us, 
and  to  be  right  we  must  meet  them.  Two 
grand  agencies  were  recognized  by  this  confer- 
ence as  being  necessary  to  success— the  press, 
and  organized  missionary  effort.  Our  printing 
establishment  was  located  in  an  obscure  coun- 
try town,  so  far  away  from  any  center  of  influ- 
ence as  to  have  no  general  power  for  good, 
only  among  those  who  bought  its  productions. 
At  this  session  it  was  determined  to  change 
the  location  from  Circle ville  to  Dayton.  This 
was  an  improvement,  yet  not  what  we  ought  to 
have,  and  must  have  in  the  future.  Mr.  Bachtel 
was  in  favor  of  this  change. 

The  subject  of  water  baptism  was  before  the 
conference.  Mr.  Kumler  introduced  the  matter 
by  a  resolution,  which  leaned  pretty  strongly 
away  from  immersion  as  a  mode,  and  which 
caused  quite  a  spirited  discussion.  Bishop 
G-lossbrenner  offered  a  resolution,  which  was 
adopted,  leaving  our  people  to  their  own  choice 
as  to  mode,  and  forbidding  them  to  traduce  one 

7 


90  BIOGRAPHY   OF 

another,  either  in  public  or  in  private.  For 
this  resolution  Mr..  Bachtel  voted  heartily, 
from  the  fact  that  he  believed  in  the  most 
enlarged  freedom  of  thought  upon  these  minor 
questions. 

The  "depravity  question"  was  also  before 
this  conference.  Some  of  the  members  held 
the  doctrine  of  "natural,  hereditar}r,  total  de- 
pravity," while  others  considered  the  language 
too  strong.  And  though  the  General  Conference 
adopted  the  total  idea,  yet  it  was  far  from 
being  satisfactory  to  a  number  of  the  preachers, 
especially  in  the  West.  Mr.  Bachtel  favored 
the  total  idea;  believed,  preached,  and  ably 
defended  it.  After  the  adjournment  of  confer- 
ence, he  returned  to  his  circuit  and  pursued 
his  work  with  characteristic  energy.  The 
Lord  was  gracious  in  the  manifestations  of  his 
power  and  blessing.  Scores  were  converted, 
and  many  "added  to  the  church."  The  Vir- 
ginia Conference  convened  at  Edinburg,  Shen- 
andoah County,  Virginia,  in  the  winter  of 
1854.  He  performed  his  usual  amount  of 
conference  work,  and  was  elected  presiding 
elder,  and  appointed  to  the  Maryland  District, 
which  embraced  Hagerstown,  Frederick,  Win- 


JACOB   BACHTEL.  91 

Chester,  and  Bath  circuits.  It  is  true  that 
there  were  but  four  charges  in  the  district,  yet 
it  required  incessant  labor  to  discharge  the 
duties  and  responsibilities.  At  this  conference 
the  writer  was  appointed  to  Hagerstown  Cir- 
cuit, as  junior,  with  J.  W.  Miles  in  charge. 
Late  in  March  both  reached  the  circuit,  and 
met  at  Samuel  Deanois'  (now  in  heaven),  on 
Saturday  evening.  There  was  an  appointment 
at  Mt.  Hebron  for  the  next  morning,  and  Mr. 
Bachtel  was  expected  to  be  present.  We  re- 
paired to  the  church  on  Sunday  morning,  and 
Mr.  Miles  commenced  the  service.  In  a  short 
time  the  door  opened,  and  a  man  entered  car- 
rying on  his  arm  a  pair  of  well-worn  sad- 
dle-bags. His  face  indicated  firmness  and 
honesty;  indeed  there  was  something  in  his 
features  that  made  one  think  of  General 
Jackson.  The  modesty  of  the  man  was  appa- 
rent at  a  glance.  He  entered  the  pulpit ;  and 
guessing  who  the  writer  was,  he  gave  him  an 
earnest  grasp  of  the  hand  and  sat  down.  It  was 
Jacob  Bachtel,  and  we  were  fast  friends  for  life. 
At  night  he  preach  from  the  words: 
"  And  we  know  that  all  things  work  together 
for  good  to  them  that  love  God,"    The  sermon 


92  BIOGRAPHY   OF 

was  very  good,  and  made  an  excellent  impres- 
sion on  the  audience. 

In  August  of  this  year  there  was  a  camp- 
meeting  on  the  Bath  Circuit,  Rev.  B.  Stickley 
in  charge.  Mr.  Stickley  had  attended  the 
second  quarterly  meeting  on  Hagerstown  Cir- 
cuit. Mr.  Bachtel  gathered  up  the  preachers 
of  his  district,  and  all  started  for  camp-meet- 
ing. He  informed  us  on  the  way  that  society 
was  very  bad,  generally,  in  the  country  to 
which  we  were  going.  This,  at  that  time,  was 
true.  There  were  a  great  many  people  on  the 
camp-ground,  and  some  of  them  were  hard 
cases.  Several  ministers  of  other  churches  were 
present.  One  of  them  amused  Mr.  Bachtel 
much.  He  was  all  the  time  on  a  "strain"  to 
make  himself  appear  to  be  something,  and 
in  the  effort  made  himself  very  ludicrous. 
Said  Mr.  Bachtel:  "That  fellow  hasn't  sense 
enough  to  know  that  he  is  a  fool." 

The  meeting  was  a  very  good  one,  especially 
on  the  last  night.  Mr.  Stickley  preached  on  the 
second  coming  of  Christ.  He  made,  perhaps, 
the  best  effort  of  his  life.  His  voice  could  be 
heard  at  a  great  distance.  While  listening  to 
it,  Mr.  Bachtel  said:  "That  sermon  can  almost 


JACOB   BACHTEL.  93 

be  heard  in  hell."  The  services  continued  un- 
til about  3  o'clock  in  the  morning;  and  quite  a 
number  were  converted,  and  the  church  was 
greatly  strengthened.  Just  before  daylight  a 
crowd  of  rowdies  concluded  to  break  up  the 
meeting.  Mr.  Bachtel  was  looking  for  such  a 
demonstration.  Ascending  the  pulpit,  he  com- 
menced talking  to  them.  He  told  them  that 
they  were  a  "  pack  of  sneaking  cowards,  and 
did  not  have  a  single  trait  of  a  gentleman." 
"And,"  said  he — and  he  seemed  to  rise  up  as  he 
spoke — "  I  dare  you  to  do  another  thing  to  dis- 
turb this  congregation."  The  mob  cowered 
before  the  brave  man,  and  crept  away  into  the 
darkness,  thus  making  good  his  words  that 
they  were  cowards.  About  daylight  the  mob 
began  to  leave  the  ground  for  their  homes. 
Each  one  signalized  his  departure  by  a  yell  or 
howl.  Said  Mr.  Bachtel :  "  Wolves  always  howl 
and  retreat  when  daylight  approaches."  This 
was  true,  but  not  very  complimentary  to  the 
rabble.  He  was  an  excellent  presiding  elder, 
keeping  every  thing  in  order  as  far  as  he  had 
authority. 

He  attended  a   number  of  protracted  meet- 
ings during  the  year,  and  aided  greatly  in  pro- 


94  BIOGRAPHY   OF 

moting  revivals.  His  advice  to  the  writer  was 
invaluable,  and  did  much  to  develop  whatever 
talent  for  usefulness  in  the  church  he  has  since 
shown. 

The  conference  convened  at  Myersville, 
Frederick  County,  Maryland,  in  February, 
1855.  Mr.  Bachtel  was  present  and  took  an 
active  part  in  the  business  of  the  session.  His 
remarks,  when  his  name  was  called,  were  very 
interesting  and  pathetic.  Two  members  of 
conference  had  died  during  the  year,  who  had 
entered  the  ministry  about  the  same  time  he 
did,  and  with  them  he  had  labored  and  suffered 
for  years.  In  their  death  the  golden  chain 
of  friendship  had  been  broken,  and  he  felt 
lonely;  but  looking  upward,  he  expected  a  re- 
union in  a  "  better  country."  At  this  confer- 
ence he  was  elected  trustee  of  Mount  Pleasant 
College.  He  was  al&o  elected  presiding  elder, 
and  appointed  to  Maryland  District.  During 
the  year,  he  visited  the  college  of  which  he  was 
a  trustee.  On  his  way  he  put  up  at  a  tavern, 
found  everything  nice  and  pleasant,  and  de- 
termined to  make  it  suit  to  stop  on  his  re- 
turn. This  he  did ;  but,  alas  for  human  expect- 
ations, he  did  not  have  the  nice  clean  bed  he- 


JACOB   BACHTEL.  95 

expected,  but  one  densely  populated  with  bed- 
bugs, with  the  air  of  the  room  burdened  with 
the  villainous  smell  of  filth.  For  these  loath- 
some things  Mr.  Bachtel  always  had  an  ab- 
horrence—a bitter  hatred.  Taking  a  blanket 
from  the  bed,  he  ''rolled"  himself  up  on  the 
floor  for  the  night,  but  could  not  sleep.  Said 
he:  "I  had  an  awful  night,  and  was  rejoiced 
when  I  heard  an  old  'shanghai '  crow  for  day- 
light." He  arose  early,  sick  and  vexed;  and 
while  dressing  himself,  an  old  bed-bug  climbed 
up  on  his  foot  and  bit  it  until  the  blood  flowed 
freely.  This  was  too  much  for  the  patience  of 
Mr.  Bachtel,  so  he  commenced  an  indiscrim- 
inate slaughter  of  his  blood-thirsty  enemies, 
and,  as  a  hint  to  the  careless  people  of  the 
house,  left  traces  of  the  conflict  on  the  sheets. 
It  was  his  opinion  that  such  people  were  not 
fit  to  keep  a  public  house. 

The  interests  of  the  church  were  steadily 
improved  on  this  district  during  the  year. 
The  conference  of  1856  was  to  meet  in  West 
Columbia,  but  the  winter  being  very  severe, 
the  bishop  changed  the  place  to  Mill  Creek, 
Shenandoah  County,  Virginia.  Mr.  Bachtel 
was  present  with  his  usual  activity. 


96  BIOGRAPHY   OF 


CHAPTER    VIII. 

Conference  at  Mill  Creek — charges  contemplated — did  not  come 
to  a  head — returned  to  Maryland  District — is  popular — political 
eontest — is  elected  to  General  Conference — opposed — the  reasons- — 
division  of  the  conference — reasons  for  this — protracted  meetings 
— one  at  Mechanicstown — an  exhortation — quarterly  meeting — 
Ex-bishop  Russell — the  plow — annual  conference  of  1857 — an 
undor-current — a  division  of  the  conference  agreed  upon — he  is  ap- 
pointed to  West  Columbia  Circuit — hardships  of  the  appointment — 
at  General  Conference — chairman  of  revision  committee — baptism 
— discussion— Mr.  Bachtel  offers  a  resolutio»  ,  adopted — lay  dele- 
gation— a  report — a  speech — depravity  again;  settled — dress — 
secrecy — resolution  by  Resler — Mr.  Bachtel  requested  to  make  a 
speech. 

A  secret  purpose  was  formed  to  bring 
charges  against  Mr.  Bachtel  at  this  session. 
There  were  men  in  the  conference  professing 
strong  antislavery  sentiments,  but  who  still 
voted  with  the  pro-slavery  Democracy,  Mr. 
Bachtel  had  not  a  good  feelingfor  the  Democrat- 
ic party.  He  believed  that  it  was  essentially  dis- 
honest ami  treasonable,  and  could  not  see  how 
antislavery  men  could  support  it.  In  addition 
to  this,  he  was  suspected  of  sympathizing  with, 
and  belonging  to,    the     Know-nothing    party. 


JACOB   BACHTEL.  97 

His  Democratic  brethren  intended,  if  they 
could  find  proof  of  his  connection  with  the 
party,  to  have  him  tried  by  our  law  on  secrecy. 
The  whole  thing  was  personal  and  wrong,  yet 
would  have  been  pressed  to  a  consummation, 
had  it  not  been  that  he  held  some  dangerous  se- 
crets, which  they  feared  he  might  reveal  in  self- 
defense,  In  view  of  this  the  purpose  was  aban- 
doned. 

Mr.  Bachtel  was  returned  to  the  Maryland 
District,  and  received  cheerfully  by  the  people. 
They  appreciated  his  excellent  business  habits, 
and  admired  his  consistent  life  and  fidelity  to 
the  right.  With  a  mind  well  stored  with  use- 
ful knowledge,  he  was  prepared  to  give  advice 
on  almost  any  subject,  and  hence  to  ministers 
and  people  was  a  counselor  and  friend.  The 
young  preachers,  especially,  loved  and  trusted 
him  for  his  invaluable  counsel. 

During  the  year  I806,  the  triangular  politi- 
cal contest  between  Buchanan,  Fremont,  and 
Fillmore  occurred.  Maryland  alone  cast  her 
electoral  vote  for  Fillmore.  The  state  in  which 
Roman  Catholicism  wras  first  established  de- 
clared in  favor  of  Know-nothingism.  Mr. 
Bachtel's  sympathies  were  with  the  American 


98  BIOGRAPHY   OF 

party,  and  he  was  anxious  for  its  success,  but 
in  this  he  was  disappointed.  The  election  of 
Buchanan  filled  him  with  unpleasant  forebod- 
ings, believing,  as  he  did,  that  a  man  who  had 
betrayed  his  party  for  the  sake  of  office  would, 
if  opportunity  offered,  be  a  traitor  to  his  coun- 
try. 

In  November  of  this  year  the  church  elected 
delegates  to  the  twelfth  General    Conference. 
There  was  considerable  excitement  on  the  sub- 
ject in  the  Virginia  Conference.    It  was  known 
that  important   questions  would   come   before 
that  body  for  adjustment,  and  all  felt  that  our 
best  men  should  be  chosen.     Again  there  was 
a  difference  of  opinion  on  the  "  secrecy  ques- 
tion."    Mr.  Bachtel  had   opposed   legislation 
on  the  subject.     Other  leading  men  in  his  con- 
ference had  stood  with  him  in  former  general 
conferences  of  the  church,  but  for  some  reason 
they  had  changed  sides  in  the  controversy.    In 
the  minds  of  some  this  meant  more  than  a  de- 
sire for  the  unity  of  the  church.     It  was  con- 
strued into  a  purpose  to  promote  personal  in- 
terests, and  not  the  general  good.     There  was 
a  decided  opposition  to  his  election,  in  the  East, 
while  west  of  the  Alleghanies  the  church  de- 


JACOB    BACHTEL.  99 

manded  that  one  of  the  western  men  should  be 
voted  for.  It  was  asserted  that  Mr.  Bachtel's 
position  on  the  subject  of  secrecy,  and,  some 
other  questions,  made  him  unpopular  in  the 
north-west,  and,  as  a  consequence,  his  election 
would  injure  the  Virginia  Conference.  But, 
despite  all  opposition,  he  was  elected. 

About  this  time  the  subject  of  dividing  the 
Virginia  Conference  district  was  agitated,  gener- 
ally. Some  were  in  favor  of  and  others  against 
it,  and  among  the  former  was  Mr.  Bachtel. 
There  were  two  reasons  for  this.  The  first  was, 
the  detached  character  of  the  work  in  West 
Virginia.  The  Alleghanies  divided  the  confer- 
ence  district,  and  such  was  the  character  of  the 
country  that  this  difficulty  would  always  exist. 
Any  man  taken  from  the  East  and  sent  to  the 
West,  accepted  the  appointment  very  reluc- 
tantly, and  had  but  little  sympathy  with  the 
people  or  work  while  on  his  field.  The  chief 
anxiety  was  to  get  through  the  year  and  back 
to  the  East,  hoping  that  he  would  be  kept  there 
in  the  future.  Feelings  of  this  kind  were  not 
unnatural,  yet  they  worked  very  injuriously 
to  the  church.  The  country  was  rough,  and 
but  few  churches  had  been  built.     Our  people 


100  BIOGRAPHY   OF 

were  poor,  and  terribly  persecuted,  and  pur- 
sued as  fiercely  with  the  cry  of  "abolitionist" 
as  ever  a  federal  prisoner  was  pursued  by  blood- 
hounds. In  all  this  there  was  but  little  to  in- 
spire hope.  Secondly,  truth  compels  us  to  state 
that  the  members  of  the  Virginia  Conference 
were  not  united,  and  there  was  but  little  hope 
of  the  difficulty  disappearing.  When  we  be- 
lieve that  those  in  whom  we  repose  implicit  con- 
fidence, and  regard  with  tenderest  friendship, 
have  betrayed  us.  and  that  too  for  personal 
aggrandizement,  there  opens  between  us  and 
such  persons  a  great  gulf,  with  no  desire  to  fill 
it  up.  The  innocence  of  such  persons  does  not 
change  the  painful  fact,  so  long  as  we  believe 
them  guilty.  A  feeling  of  this  kind  had  taken 
possession  of  several  members  of  the  Virginia 
Conference,  and  they  felt  anxious  to  get  away 
from  an  association  which,  to  say  the  least  of 
it,  was  unpleasant.  The  Parkersburg  and 
Tennessee  mission-conferences  resulted  in  part 
from  this  cause. 

Mr.  Bachtel,  as  presiding  elder,  was  ear- 
nestly engaged  in  his  appropriate  work,  not 
only  meeting  his  quarterly  appointments  but 
assisting   at  protracted   efforts.     During  this 


JACOB   BACHTEL.  101 

year  he  assisted  the  writer  at  a  protracted 
meeting  in  Mechanicstown.  On  Sunday  night, 
after  another  had  preached,  Mr.  Bachtel  ex- 
horted with  unusual  power.  He  was  evidently 
excited,  and  on  this  account  was  unconsciously 
laboring  to  excite  others.  Said  he:  "Some  peo- 
ple are  excited  about  Catholicism  ;  some  are  ex- 
cited about  Know-nothingism;  and  some  are 
excited  about  niggerism.  For  heaven's  sake  get 
excited  about  religion  ;  for  if  you  don't  repent 
you  will  go  to  hell,  Catholics,  Know-nothings, 
niggers  and  all."  And  then,  with  much  earnest- 
ness, he  invited  the  people  to  come  to  the  altar. 
One  of  the  first  to  come  was  a  negro,  which 
caused  some  merriment  at  Mr.  Bachtel's  ex- 
pense. 

The  second  quarterly  meeting  for  Hagers- 
town  Circuit  was  held  in  a  grove  near  Snyder's 
school-house.  On  Sunday  afternoon  the  writer 
preached  and  Ex-bishop  Russell  exhorted.  The 
first  sentence  uttered  by  Mr.  Russell  was: 
"  Stop  that  plow!"  A  long  pause  followed.  The 
people  looked  all  around  to  see  something,  but 
failing  in  this  they  turned  to  the  speaker,  when 
he  continued:  "Why  all  this  work,  this  seed- 
time and  harvest,  if  the  name  of  bread   will 


102  BIOGRAPHY   OF 

satisfy  hunger  ?  "  The  people  all  understood 
the  old  man  now.  Mr.  Bachtel  laughed  hear* 
tily  at  the  denouement,  saying  that  he  was 
"under  the  impression  that  some  scamp  was 
going  along  the  road  with  a  plow." 

The  conference  of  1867  convened  at  Mt.  He- 
bron, Washington  County,  Maryland.  The 
session  was  seemingly  pleasant  and  harmoni* 
ous;  but  accident  revealed  an  under-current  of 
unkind  feeling.  To  the  surprise  of  many,  the 
new  conference  idea  met  with  no  opposition. 
A  motion  to  memorialize  the  General  Confer- 
ence to  detach  the  West  Virginia  District  from 
the  Virginia  Conference  district)  and  form  a 
mission-conference,  was  carried  by  a  unani* 
mous  vote.  Coursey,  Markwood,  and  Stickley 
were  elected  presiding  elders,  and  the  latter  was 
appointed  to  the  West  Virginia  District.  Mr. 
Bachtel  was  appointed  to  West  Columbia  Cir- 
cuit, near  the  mouth  of  the  Great  Kanawha. 

This  circuit  was  at  least  three  hundred  and 
fifty  miles  from  where  Mr.  Bachtel  resided. 
This  seemed  hard,  and  was  hard,  and  to  his 
mind  indicated  a  purpose  to  "get  rid"  of  him. 
So  far  as  the  church  in  the  bounds  of  the  pro- 
posed new  conference  was  concerned,  it  was  a 


JACOB   BACHTEL.  103 

a  very  judicious  appointment,  but  it   imposed 
hardships   and    sacrifices   which    should    not 
have  been  required  of  a  man  of  his  advanced 
age.     Pie  immediately  made  his  arrangements 
to  move  to  his  distant  field.     Among  the   rea- 
sons in  his  own  mind  against  the  appointment, 
and   his   acceptance  of  it,  were  the  following: 
First,  the  health  of   Mrs.  Bachtel  was   very 
feeble,  and  she  was  in  no  condition  to  undergo 
the  anxiety   and  fatigue  of  the  journey;   sec- 
only,  he  felt  that  his  own  health  was  such  as  to 
make  it  impossible  to  meet  the  hard  work  of 
the    large,    rough  circuit   of   West   Virginia; 
thirdly,  his  only  son  was  attending  an   excel- 
lent school  in  Frederick  City,  and  was  making 
great    proficiency   in    his    studies.      Virginia 
at  that  time  had  no  school  system  worth  any- 
thing to  the  masses,  and  her  census   reports 
revealed  the  startling    fact  that  eighty-three 
thousand  of  her  adult  population  could  neither 
read  nor  write. 

Mr.  Bachtel  reached  his  charge  in  good  time, 
surveyed  the  field,  marked  out  his  plans  of 
future  action,  and  started  to  General  Con- 
ference, which  convened  at  Cincinnati,  Ohio, 
May  12th,  1857.     He  was  appointed  chairman 


104  BIOGRAPHY   OF 

of  the  Committee  on  Revision.  This  was  one 
of  the  most  important  committees  in  the  con- 
ference, and  effectually  exploded  the  idea  that 
he  was  unpopular  in  the  church. 

The  question  of  baptism  was  before  the  con- 
ference early  in  the  session,  causing  consider- 
able irritation  in  the  minds  of  some  of  the 
members.  It  seems  that  there  was  some  am- 
biguity in  the  language  of  the  Discipline,  on 
this  subject.  Mr.  Shrader,  of  Scioto,  moved  to 
so  amend  the  article  as  to  make  it  read,  "That 
believing  adults  and  infants  were  proper  sub- 
jects of  baptism,"  &c.  This  provoked  a  spir- 
ited discussion,  which  widened,  instead  of 
healed,  the  breach.  All  efforts  to  compromise 
were  foiled,  and  finally  the  motion  was  post- 
poned indefinitely.  The  question  was  however 
brought  up  in  another  form  and  disposed  of. 
On  the  same  page  the  words  "this  respect," 
were  moved  to  be  referred  to  the  Committee  on 
Revision,  to  inquire  if  it  were  not  a  "misprint." 
Mr.  Erb  said  he  knew  that  it  was,  for  he  had 
penned  the  article  twenty  years  before,  and  it 
ought  to  read,  in  these  respects. 

The  conference  drifted  into  a  discussion  of 
the  general  subject,   and  various  efforts  were 


JACOB   BACHTEL.  105 

made  to  prevent  those  differing  on  the  general 
subject  from  traducing  one  another.  At  this 
juncture  Mr.  Bachtel,  who  had  been  "thinking 
and  praying"  over  the  matter,  offered  a  mo- 
tion to  the  effect  that  neither  the  preachers  nor 
members  should  be  allowed  to  speak  disre- 
spectfully of  each  other's  opinions  on  the  mode 
and  subjects  of  baptism,  and  should  any  do  so, 
they  should  be  held  accountable  to  the  proper 
authorities  of  the  church.  After  some  discus- 
sion this  was  adopted,  giving  peace  to  the 
church  ever  since. 

The  question  of  lay  delegation,  was  prom- 
inently before  the  conference.  As  chairman 
of  the  Committee  on  Revision,  Mr.  Bachtel 
made  a  report  on  this  subject.  In  this  report 
it  Was  asserted  that  all  ecclesiastical  authority 
resided  in  the  church;  that  the  ministers  were 
but  servants  of  the  people;  and  that,  according 
to  the  genius  of  the  church,  the  lay  element 
had  more  direct  control  of  ecclesiastical  power 
than  in  any  other  church ;  yet,  in  order  to  as- 
certain the  general  feeling,  our  people  were 
invited  to  make  their  wants  known  by  memo- 
rials and  otherwise,  and  that  their  requests 
should  always  be  treated  with  the  respect  and 


106  BIOGRAPHY   OF 

consideration  they  deserved.  There  has  al- 
ways been  a  large  majority  in  the  General 
Conference  opposed  to  introducing  this  element 
in  a  new  form,  and  some  of  the  most  sagacious 
men  of  the  church  have  predicted  trouble  in 
the  event  of  any  change  in  this  respect.  Mr. 
Bachtel  was  never  in  favor  of  a  change,  yet 
he  was  always  prudent  in  his  opposition  to  it. 

The  report  was  vigorously  assailed,  and 
that  too  by  men  who  have  changed  their  po- 
sition. During  the  discussion,  Mr,  Bachtel 
said :  "  I  am  chairman  of  the  Committee  on 
Revision.  I  am  not  particularly  in  favor  of,  nor 
opposed  to,  lay  delegation.  I  do  not  wish  to  be 
a  lord  over  the  members,  but  their  servant. 
Petitions  have  been  sent  up  for  a  number  of 
years  and  have  been  treated  lightly.  Let  the 
matter  go  before  the  people  or  we  may  suffer 
injury.  This  is  the  right  spirit,  and  should 
always  command  respect.1' 

The  present  plan  of  securing  the   salary  of 
presiding  elders,  at  his  instance,  was  adopted 
by  this  conference;  also,  the  question  in  the 
business   of  conferences  by  which  miscellane- 
ous business  is  introduced. 

One   of  the  most  exciting  questions  before 


JACOB   BACHTEL.  107 

tliis  conference  was  that  of  depravity.  For 
some  time  prior  to  this,  a  brisk  fight  had  been 
going  on.  The  doctrine  of  total  depravity  was 
unpopular  in  the  West,  and  it  was  evident  to 
all,  before  the  meeting  of  conference,  that  this 
question  must  be  met  and  disposed  of.  The 
solid  men  of  the  church  were,  in  the  main,  in 
favor  of  the  declaration  as  fixed  by  the  Gen- 
eral Conference  of  1853.  There  was,  however, 
a  respectable  number  of  ministers  who  dis- 
sented from  this  view,  arguing  that  if  man  was 
totally  depraved  then  he  had  no  power  to  re- 
spond to  the  divine  call.  Those  who  opposed 
the  "partial"  idea,  of  course  meant  that  man 
was  born  without  positive  holiness,  and  that 
this  was  true  of  all  his  moral  faculties. 

Mr.  Bachtel,  as  chairman  of  the  Committee 
on  Revision,  reported  in  favor  of  striking  out 
the  article  and  inserting  the  following :  "  Do 
you  believe  that  man,  abstract  of  the  grace  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  is  fallen  from  original 
righteousness,  and  is  inclined  to  evil,  and  only 
evil,  and  that  continually?"  The  report  was 
discussed  at  length,  and  the  following  amend- 
ment appended:  "And  except  a  man  be  born 
again  he  can  not  see  the  kingdom  of  God." 


108  BIOGRAPHY   OF 

This  was  adopted  and  the  controversy  ended, 
it  is  to  be  hoped  for  all  time.  How  far  Mr. 
Bachtel  was  responsible  for  the  report  of  the 
committee  is  not  known ;  yet  it  is  doubtless 
true  that  he  favored  it — he  believed  that  man 
was  " totally  fallen." 

Another  question  was  that  of  dress.  The 
committee  made  a  report,  in  which  our  people 
were  kindly  advised  to  be  plain  in  the  cutting 
and  wearing  of  apparel.  This  was  not  strong 
enough  for  some  of  the  members,  who  insisted 
upon  making  a  law  positively  forbidding,  un- 
der penalties,  any  extravagance  in  dress. 

Mr.  Bachtel's  views  were  expressed  in  a  few 
words,  uttered  on  the  conference  floor  during 
he  debate.  He  said  :  "If  we  begin  to  legislate 
about  dress  we  may  go  on  forever.  Some  of 
those  who  are  the  most  particular  on  this  sub- 
ject have  the  costliest  carriages,  the  largest 
houses,  and  the  best  furniture/'  These  remarks 
would  apply  with  great  force  to  many  in  the 
church  to-day.  Genuine  humility  lives  in  the 
heart  and  is  not  affected  by  the  dress. 

The  question  of  secrecy  was  also  before  this 
conference,  sprung  by  a  resolution  offered  by 
Mr.    Resler,   of   the   Alleghany    Conference. 


JACOB   BACHTEL.  109 

The  rule  was  found  to  seriously  hinder  the  suc- 
cess of  the  church  in  the  larger  towns  and 
cities,  and  it  was  thought  by  good  men  that 
it  might  be  changed  without  lowering  the  just 
standard  of  morality,  and  result  in  a  real  ad- 
vantage to  the  church. 

Knowing  that  Mr.  Bachtel  was  opposed  to 
any  legislation  upon  the  general  subject — not 
capriciously,  but  on  the  ground  that,  in  his 
judgment,  there  was  no  direct  authority  in  the 
Bible  for  such  a  rule — some  of  the  members 
requested  him  to  advocate  the  passage  of  the 
resolution.  It  is  not  at  all  doubtful  that  many  of 
his  utterances  were  prophetic,  though  scouted 
at  the  time.  It  is  true  that  a  more  rigid  rule 
was  adopted  at  a  subsequent  General  Confer- 
ence, but  this  was  considered  by  some  men  of 
coo]  minds,  and  far-reaching  sagacity,  as  be- 
longing to  what  might  be  termed  spasmodic 
legislation,  which  in  the  cooler  moments  of  the 
church  would  react  upon  those  who  carried  it 
through.  The  speech  of  Mr.  Bachtel  will  be 
found  entire  in  the  following  chapter. 


110  BIOGRAPHY   GF 


CHAPTER    IX. 

Speech  of  Mr.  Bachtel  in  the  General  Conference  of  1857. 

Mr.  Bachtel  said  : — 

Mr.  President: — I  did  not  arise  to  make  a 
regular  speech,  but  to  offer  you  a  few  thoughts 
on  the  resolution  now  before  the  house.  I 
have  not  been  instructed  by  my  conference  to 
ask  for  any  change  in  the  section  now  before 
us  for  consideration,  neither  did  I  intend  to  ask 
for  any.  I  did  not  ask  for  any  at  the  General 
Conference  four  years  ago,  nor  did  I  ask  for 
any  change  eight  years  ago;  but  some  of  the 
members  of  that  conference  thought  that  the 
law  was  not  strong  enough,  and  they  wished  to 
make  an  addition  to  it,  The  addition  I  op- 
posed with  all  the  energy  and  ability  I  pos- 
sessed; but  despite  all  that  I  could  do,  the 
addition  party  was  successful.  My  worthy 
Brother  Resler  spoke  to  me  on  this  subject  a 
few  days  ago.  He  said  he  had  some  thought 
of  asking  for  a  change   in  this   law.     I  told 


JACOB    BACHTEL.  Ill 

him  that  he  might  do  as  he  thought  best,  but 
I  despaired  of  any  change  being  made  in  the 
law  by  this  conference.  I  informed  him  that 
I  thought  some  change  necessary;  and  I  think 
now  that  we  ought  to  make  some  change,  for 
the  time  is  coming  when  we  must  change  this 
law,  or  treat  it  as  a  dead  letter,  or  do  ivorse, 
that  is,  let  the  church  go  down  in  the  large 
towns  and  cities.  In  some  of  these  towns  and 
cities  there  are  thirty  or  forty  different  secret 
societies,  claiming  to  be  beneficial  and  praise- 
worthy; and  in  their  ranks  are  found  some  of 
the  best  citizens  and  most  worthy  Christians. 
This  beautiful  city  is  not  an  exception. 

The  law  in  our  church  is  too  sweeping;  it 
makes  no  allowance  for  any.  I  am  opposed  to 
wicked  societies,  whether  they  be  secret  or 
public,  but  I  am  not  opposed  to  a  society  be- 
cause it  is  a  secret  one.  There  was  no  doubt 
a  secret  society  connected  with  the  building  of 
the  temple  at  Jerusalem.  Was  not  that  a 
good  society?  It  resulted  in  good,  and  we 
must  judge  the  merits  of  any  thing  by  its  ef- 
fects. 

But  again,  sir,  there  was  a  secret  society 
connected  with  our  struggle  for  independence, 


112  BIOGRAPHY   OF 

called  the  Sons  of  Liberty.  This  society  ex- 
tended all  over  the  American  colonies.  Many 
of  our  patriotic  fathers  belonged  to  it.  The 
immortal  Washington,  the  father  of  this  glo- 
rious country — the  land  of  the  free  and  the 
home  of  the  brave — was  a  member  of  it.  To 
this  society  we  are  much  indebted  for  our 
boasted  and  glorious  liberty ;  and  but  for  its  ex- 
istence, we  might  be  under  the  galling  yoke  of 
Great  Britain,  groaning  with  her  oppressed 
millions.  But,  thank  God,  we  enjoy  liberty, 
both  civil  and  religious. 

There  is  a  grand  secret  connected  with  the 
Holy  Trinity — the  scheme  of  Redemption — 
the  plan  of  Salvation — which  angels,  with  all 
their  great  holiness  and  powers  of  intellect, 
have  never  been  permitted  to  know.  Hence, 
it  is  said  in  the  Bible  that  secret  things  belong 
to  the  Lord,  but  the  things  which  are  revealed 
belong  to  us  and  our  children.  Sir,  if  heaven 
with  all  its  greatness  finds  it  necessary  to  have 
some  secrets,  certainly  secrets  are  necessary  in 
this  treacherous  and  sin-cursed  world  of  ours. 

Many  of  these  societies  are  old,  numerous, 
and  powerful.  But,  says  one,  their  age  is  no 
proof  of  their  correctness.     Very  true  ;  neither 


JACOB   BACHTEL.  113 

does  it  prove  their  incorrectness.  You  say, 
sin  and  the  devil  are  old.  Admit  it ;  but  holi- 
ness and  God  are  older,  and  they  are  right,  and 
the  devil  and  sin  are  wrong.  Well,  says  one, 
what  do  you  think  of  Freemasons  and  Odd- 
fellows? Do  you  believe  that  a  man  can  be  a 
Mason  and  Odd-fellow  and  be  a  Christian? 
Sir,  I  answer  in  the  affirmative.  I  knoiu  men 
who  are  Masons  and  "Odd-fellows,"  and  who  are, 
I  believe,  good  Christians.  But,  says  one,  did 
not  the  Masons  kill  Morgan?  That  never  was 
proven.  But  suppose  it  was;  that  does  not  prove 
that  they  are  all  murderers.  Presbyterians  in 
New  England  killed  some  Quakers.  Who 
would  dare  rise  up  in  this  body  and  condemn 
all  the  Presbyterians  for  what  a  few  misguided 
ones  did  in  New  England?  /  suppose  none  of 
you  would.  Sir,  Washington,  the  greatest 
statesman  that  ever  lived,  was  a  Mason.  I 
believe  he  was  a  Christian,  and  is,  doubtless, 
in  heaven.  Yes  but,  says  one,  he  said,  "beware 
of  secret  combinations."  Grant  it;  but  whom 
had  he  reference  to  ?  Not  to  Masons,  for  he 
was  one  himself;  but  to  the  wily  and  detestable 
Jesuits.  Lorenzo  Dow  was  a  Mason ;  and 
when  asked   by  one   of  our  worthy  members 


114  BIOGRAPHY   OF 

why  lie  joined  them,  he  said  he  found  it  a  great 
advantage  to  him  in  his  extensive  travels,  and 
that  it  gave  him  access,  as  a  minister,  to  many 
that  he  could  not  otherwise  reach. 

Our  great  opposition  to  secret  societies  has 
hedged  up  our  way  and  destroyed  our  access 
to,  perhaps,  many.  The  Odd-fellows  have 
good  principles,  and  have  educated  many  poor 
children,  and  relieved  a  number  of  poor  wid- 
ows in  their  distress.  Are  not  such  acts  praise- 
worthy? The  Sons  of  Temperance,  though 
now  extinct  in  many  places,  have  reclaimed  a 
vast  number  of  drunkards,  and  thereby  made 
a  number  of  deeply-distressed  wives'  hearts  to 
rejoice,  and  children's  faces  to  smile  like  little 
angels.     I  love  them  for  the  good  they  have  done. 

But,  says  one,  they  have  bad  men  among 
them.  Grant  it;  but  where  will  you  go  that 
you  will  not  find  bad  men,  heaven  alone  ex- 
cepted. Mr.  President,  I  said  that  I  was  opposed 
to  all  wicked  societies ;  so  I  am.  First,  I  am 
opposed  to  the  Jesuits.  Their  object  is  to  over- 
throw all  republics  and  governments  that  are 
not  in  accordance  with  the  "Holy  See,  "  and  to 
establish  popery  in  all  its  dreadful  forms  all 
over  this  world,  and  especially  in  our  glorious 


JACOB    BACHTEL.  115 

country.  Secondly,  I  am  opposed  to  all  pirat- 
ical societies,  counterfeiting,  kidnapping,  and 
all  such  ungodly  associations.  But  I  am  not 
opposed  to  the  Protestant  Association.  1  re- 
gard it  as  a  good  society;  it  is  to  overthrow 
popery,  the  man  of  sin,  the  son  of  perdition, 
the  mother  of  harlots,  the  moral  Upas  of  the 
world,  the  enemy  of  God,  and  the  handmaid  of 
the  devil.  Mr.  President,  there  are  many 
other  secret  societies  which  I  might  refer  too, 
that  are  local  and  beneficial,  which  I  believe 
to  be  pure,  harmless,  and  of  great  utility,  es- 
pecially to  the  honest  poor  of  our  large  towns 
and  cities. 

With  our  present  law  it  is  impossible  for  us 
to  do  much  in  cur  large  towns  and  cities.  I 
think  we  should  so  frame  our  laws  as  to  ac- 
complish the  greatest  amount  of  good.  Hon- 
estly, with  the  purest  of  motives,  I  would  like 
to  see  some  modification  of  this  law.  I  really 
believe  that  if  you  make  our  resolution  the 
statute  law  of  the  church  it  will  throw  a  per- 
fect safe-guard  around  the  church,  and  would 
render  us  more  useful.  Sir,  to  be  candid,  I 
think  it  beyond  the  province  of  any  church  to 
legislate  on  this  subject.     I  honestly  think  that 


116  BIOGRAPHY   OF 

we  should  only  advise,  as  we  have  done  upon 
other  subjects;  but  for  the  sake  of  compromise 
and  the  constitution,  please  give  us  our  reso- 
lution as  a  law,  and  we  will  ask  no  more.  If 
you  will  not,  we  must  submit  and  wear  the  yoke. 
Mr.  President,  I  have  been  before  you  to 
represent  that  portion  of  the  church  not  op- 
posed to  all  secret  societies  ;  and  they  are  not 
an  insignificant  party,  but  a  respectable  minor- 
ity.  Many  of  them  belong  to  the  best  society, 
and  are  worthy  of  a  representative.  Sir,  I 
wish  to  represent  them  honestly  and  fairly.  I 
am  sorry  that  I  am  not  more  able  to  do  so;  but 
I  have  clone  the  best  I  could.  It  is  not  expected 
that  a  little  star  will  give  as  much  light  as  a 
large  one.  In  conclusion,  Mr.  President,  I 
thank  you  for  listening  so  attentively  to  me.  I 
know  that  you  and  I  differ  upon  this  subject; 
but  I  love  you,  and  will  not  unchristianize  you, 
and  I  hope  you  will  not  unchristianize  me  if 
you  can  not  love  my  opinions.  You,  my  dear 
brethren  in  Christ,  I  thank  for  the  indulgence 
you  have  shown  me.  I  know  many  of  you  dif- 
fer with  me  on  this  subject.  Well,  doctors 
will  differ,  and  so  will  preachers.  Paul  and 
Peter  differed.     Though  we  differ,  let  us  love 


JACOB   BACHTEL.  117 

each  other;  and  you,  my  brethren  and  friends 
who  are  favorable  to  secret  societies,  I  have 
done  for  you  all  that  I  could  in  the  short  time 
allowed  me.  I  now  bid  you  all  adieu  on  this 
subject,  hoping  that  when  we  meet  again  we 
will  meet  as  friends  and  brethren  in  Christ. 


118  BIOGRAPHY    OF 


CHAPTER    X. 

Difficulties  on  his  circuit — ignorance  and  intemperance— 4iis  in* 
structions — camp-meeting  on  Leading  Creek— his  sermon— Parkers- 
burg  Conference— its  weakness— the  necessity  of  faith — Mr.  Bat- 
tel's roport— -  visit  to  the  Valley  of  Virginia — conference  at  Ripley— 
a  difficulty — his  report — on  committees— -his  prayer — why  some 
persons  did  not  join  the  church — conference  at  GleUville — his  re- 
port—missionary meeting,  &c — committee  on  resolution — another 
difficulty,  he  is  on  the  committee — sent  to  Jackson  Circuit  -char- 
acter of  the  territory  and  people — clerical  scoundrels  — in  1860 
elected  to  General  Conference -Presidential  canvass— Mr.  Bach- 
tel's  position — results  of  the  election,  &c. 

Mr.  Bachtel  returned  from  General  Confer* 
ence,  and  addressed  himself  to  the  duties  of  the 
circuit.  The  field  was  a  hard  one  in  some 
respects.  Mr.  Michael  had  gone  west,  and  had 
been  followed  by  a  number  of  members  along 
the  river.  West  Columbia  had  been  one  of 
the  most  prominent  appointments  on  the  cir- 
cuit, indeed,  for  two  years  had  been  a  station; 
but  the  mining  and  manufacturing  company 
operating  there  had  broken  up,  leaving  the 
place  without  business. 

Mr.  Bachtel   lived  in  this  town,   and  soon 


JACOB    BACHTEL.  119 

made  himself  a  host  of  friends.  In  his  own 
language,  he  "preached  and  studied,  and  made 
skeletons,"  and  improved  himself  considerably 
in  his  profession.  He  found  ignorance  and 
intemperance  prevailing  among  the  people. 
These  evils  he  attacked  with  his  usual  zeal  and 
ability.  He  found  his  people  in  rudimentary 
state,  and  taught  them  how  to  cultivate  the 
farm,  orchard,  and  garden;  and  perhaps  in 
nothing  did  he  improve  them  more  than  in 
these  things. 

During  this  year  he  attended  a  camp-meet- 
ing on  Leading  Creek,  in  Lewis  County.  On 
Sunday  afternoon  he  preached  a  sermon  that 
one  man  at  least  did  not  forget.  This  man 
was  a  wealthy  member  of  the  church,  and  was 
accused  by  those  who  were  acquainted  with 
him  of  being  very  covetous.  Mr.  Bachtel  was 
very  severe  on  persons  of  this  character,  and 
said  that  "a  religion  with  horns  would  suit 
them,"  referring  to  the  fat  cattle  to  which  they 
gave  so  much  attention.  This  man  never  for- 
gave the  preacher,  showing  that  he  was  badly 
wounded  in  his  feelings. 

The  first  session  of  the  Parkersburg  Confer- 
ence  was  held  at  Centerville,  Tyler  County, 


120  BIOGRAPHY   OF 

Virginia,  March  4tli,  1858.  Ten  preachers 
and  less  than  one  thousand  members  constitu- 
ted the  strength  of  the  church,  in  the  bounds 
of  this  conference.  It  required  strong  faith 
to  engage,  with  any  degree  of  earnestness,  in 
a  work  presenting  so  little  promise.  The 
General  Conference  had  set  us  off  into  a  mis- 
sion-conference, and  we  felt  that  we  must  stay, 
and  suffer  in  these  dreary  mountains.  The 
last  link  that  bound  us  to  the  Virginia  Confer- 
ence was  the  presiding  elder,  who  was  with 
us  at  this  session,  and  this  would  soon  be  bro- 
ken. For  a  while  our  hearts  sank,  but  only 
for  a  moment;  it  was  duty,  and  destiny.  Accept- 
ing the  call  as  providential,  all  went  forth  to 
do  and  suffer  for  the  church  and  religion  ■;  and 
the  survivors  of  that  first  session,  after  ten 
years  of  conflict,  do  not  regret  that  the  provi- 
dence of  God  thrust  them  into  this  field.  Nor 
can  he  who  is  the  subject  of  this  sketch  regret 
it,  as  he  contemplates  the  result  of  his  minis- 
terial toil  in  the  church  below. 

He  made  the  following  report  to  conference: 
Appointments,  ten;  classes,  eight;  members 
received,  thirty-one;  salary,  two  hundred  and 
fifty-four  dollars ;  presents,    twenty-seven   dol- 


JACOB   BACfiTEL.  121 

tars;  missionary  collection,  fourteen  dollars. 
The  decrease  in  the  number  of  members  was 
eight.  His  predecessor  was  a  very  poor  house- 
keeper, and  had  not  reported  carefully  and 
accurately  the  condition  of  the  circuit. 

Mr,  Bachtel  served  on  the  following  com- 
mittees during  the  session;  on  Applicants  for 
License  to  Preach,  Finance,  and  Elders' Orders. 
He  was  also  appointed  to  examine  licentiates 
on  second  and  third  years'  course  of  reading, 
and  elected  a  trustee  of  Otterbein  University. 

He  was  returned  to  West  Columbia  Circuit, 
\vith  J.  W.  Perry  as  presiding  elder.  There 
was  a  church-house  on  his  charge,  heavily  bur- 
dened with  debt,  and  Mr.  Bachtel  proposed  to 
relieve  it.  For  this  purpose  he  visited  the  Val- 
ley of  Virginia,  and  collected  money  sufficient 
to  remove  in  part  the  indebtedness  of  the  prop- 
erty. He  also  had  repairs  made  on  the  church 
at  West  Columbia. 

The  second  session  of  the  Parkersburg  Con- 
ference convened  at  Ripley,  the  seat  of  justice 
for  Jackson  County.  Bishop  Glossbrenner  pre- 
sided, and  Mr.  Bachtel  was  again  elected  chair- 
man. During  the  year  a  difficulty  had  occurred, 
in  which  H.  R.  Davis  was  -concerned,     Mr. 


122  BIOGRAPHY   OF 

Bachtel  had  aided  the  elder  to  settle  the  diffi- 
culty, and  Mr.  Davis  was  suspended.  At  this 
conference  Mr.  Bachtel  moved  that  he  be  re- 
stored. In  supporting  his  motion,  he  said:  "I 
have  been  satisfied  that  Bro.  Davis  has  acted 
very  imprudently,  but  I  am  satisfied  now  that 
he  is  trying  to   do  right." 

He  reported  West  Columbia  as  follows; 
Members  received,  twenty-six ;  increase,  four- 
teen; salary  received,  three  hundred  and 
thirty-four  dollars ;  collected  for  missions,  thir- 
ty-eight dollars;  for  Sabbath-schools,  twenty- 
seven  dollars.  This  report  shows  a  marked 
improvement  in  every  interest  committed  to 
his  care.  This  improvement  was  real,  for  his 
figures  never  lied.  He  served  on  the  Finance 
Committee,  the  Committee  to  Examine  Licen- 
tiates, and  assisted  in  stationing  the  presiding 
elders.  He  offered  the  following  resolution, 
which  was  adopted:  "Resolved,  That  our  mis- 
sionary collections  be  taken  up  between  the 
first  of  July  and  the  first  of  October."  This 
was  intended  to  bring  men  to  their  duty,  and, 
so  far  as  the  rule  has  been  observed,  missionary 
money  has  not  only  been  secured,  but  the 
amount    has    been    steadily    increased.     Mr, 


JACOB   BACHTEL.  123 

Bachtel's  prayer,  at  the  close  of  the  session, 
was  one  of  remarkable  beauty  and  power.  The 
presence  of  God  was  richly  shed  forth  upon  the 
preachers  and  people  on  the  occasion. 

Mr.  Bachtel  was  returned  to  West  Columbia 
the  third  year.  He  was  deservedly  popular 
on  the  circuit,  and  was  giving  character  to  the 
church,  which  led  to  precious  results.  Reviv- 
als of  religon  followed,  and  many  were  convert- 
ed. All,  however,  that  professed  religion  did 
not  join  the  church.  The  reason  was  a  cogent 
one.  Mr.  Bachtel  said,  "  I  did  not  want  them;" 
and  unless  he  did  want  them,  they  could  not 
get  into  the  church.  His  motto  was,  "keep 
the  church  pure  if  you  have  but  three  mem- 
bers." 

His  report  to  the  conference  which  convened 
at  Glenville,  Virginia,  March  8th,  1860,  was 
not  so  good  as  the  year  before.  There  were  local 
causes  leading  to  this.  Forty  persons  were 
received  into  the  church,  making  an  increase 
of  thirty ;  salary,  two  hundred  and  seventy- 
nine  dollars;  collected  for  missions,  thirty- 
one  dollars ;  for  Sabbath-schools,  forty-three 
dollars.  The  number  of  Sabbath-school  schol- 
ars had  increased  from  two  hundred  and  four 


124  BIOGRArilY   OF 

to  three  hundred  and  fourteen,  and  the  schools 
from  five  to  eight.  This  was  a  very  gratifying 
improvement  in  this  department  of  labor.  He 
was  the  unfaltering  friend  of  Sabbath-schools? 
and  has  often  said  "that  the  people  must  be  en- 
lightened in  order  to  appreciate  the  gospel.'' 
His  views  on  this  subject  were  eminently  just, 
and  were  adopted  generally  by  the  people 
among  whom  he  labored. 

Charges  having  been  preferred  against  a 
member  of  conference,  Mr.  Bachtel  was  ap- 
pointed on  the  committee.  It  was  a  very  un- 
pleasant case,  because  of  the  self-esteem  of  the 
party  accused.  It  was  evident  from  the  be- 
ginning that  he  would  get  ugly  on  the  hands 
of  the  committee.  Had  he  known  Mr.  Bach- 
tel better  he  would  have  acted  differently. 
Mr.  Bachtel  hated  nothing  more  than  unmanly 
dodging,  and  he  generally  censured  severely 
any  who  resorted  to  it  in  his  presence.  Sev- 
eral of  the  charges  were  sustained,  in  the  judg- 
ment of  the  committee,  but  the  punishment 
was  softened  down  to  reprimanding  by  the 
bishop.  The  accused  took  it  very  hard,  and 
perhaps  never  forgave  Mr.  Bachtel,  whose 
opinion  was  that  he  would  never  do  any  good 


JACOB    BACHTEL.  125 

in  the  church,  which,  unfortunately,  was  too 
true. 

Mr.  Bachtel  was  appointed  on  the  Commit- 
tee on  Resolutions.  This  committee  made  a 
strong  report  on  the  subject  of  the  "John 
Brown  raid."  The  preachers  of  the  Parkers- 
burg  Conference  had  been  charged  not  only 
with  sympathizing  with  Brown's  purpose,  but 
with  actual  complicity  in  the  movement,  and 
the  object  of  the  report  was  to  resent  the 
charge. 

The  first  missionary  meeting  of  our  confer- 
ence was  held  during  this  session.  Mr.  Bach- 
tel was  very  busy  in  aiding  the  matter  along. 
Among  others  who  contributed  was  a  little 
boy.  At  the  close  of  the  services  Mr.  Bachtel 
prayed,  and  alluded  to  the  boy  in  terms  so 
touching  and  beautiful  as  to  bring  tears  from 
almost  every  eye.  Our  meeting  was  a  success, 
and  he  contributed  much  to  that  success. 

During  the  session  one  of  the  preachers  lost 
his  horse,  and  Mr.  Bachtel  made  a  public  ef- 
fort to  raise  some  money  for  the  poor  fellow. 
He  succeeded  in  securing  about  half  enough 
in  cash  and  subscription  to  buy  a  tolerably 
good  horse. 


128  BIOGBAPHY   OF 

He  was  appointed  to  Jackson  Circuit,  a  large 
field,  requiring  long  rides  and  much  preaching. 
A  mission  had  been  added  to  it.  This  he  aban- 
doned during  the  year,  for  two  reasons;  first, 
he  could  not  perform  the  labor,  as  he  had  dis- 
ease of  the  throat ;  secondly,  the  territory  was 
very  unpromising.  The  southern  Methodists 
had  control  of  the  country,  and  they  had  very 
lax  discipline,  taking  in  all  that  would  come, 
and  keeping  all  they  could  get.  The  preachers 
of  this  church  were  intensely  pro-slavery  in 
sentiment,  and  had  educated  the  people  in  the 
same  political  faith.  Said  Mr.  Bachtel :  "We 
can  not  do  anything  with  these  people ;  they 
are  too  full  of  niggerism  ?  "  He  was  terribly 
severe  on  the  preachers  of  this  territory.  The 
very  least  that  could,  in  justice,  be  said  of  them 
was  that  they  were  false  to  the  right,  and 
sought  to  build  themselves  up  by  appealing  to 
the  lowest  passions  of  the  people.  They  pro- 
fessed to  be  Christian  ministers  and  have  the 
"  charity  that  thinketh  no  evil,"  and  yet  they 
showed  the  bitterest  liate  to  those  who  had  the 
honesty  to  deny  the  "  divine  right"  of  slavery. 
Jesus  said  that  we  must  "  love  our  neighbor, " 
but  they  were  willing  to  set  the  mob  on  their 


JACOB   BACHTEL.  127 

neighbor.  It  was  because  of  this  proscriptive 
spirit,  and  their  want  of  ministerial  character 
in  other  respects,  that  Mr.  Baehtel  refused  to 
recognize  them  as  Christian  ministers. 

In  1860  the  Parkersburg  Conference  elected 
its  first  delegates  to  General  Conference. 
Baehtel,  Perry,  and  Warner  were  chosen. 
At  this  time  the  political  horizon  was  over- 
cast with  dark  and  threatening  clouds.  The 
Democratic  party  had  become  hopelessly  di- 
vided, and  both  factions  had  candidates  in 
the  field,  each  claiming  to  represent  the  true 
Democratic  idea;  yet  both  were  false  to  the 
traditions  of  the  party.  The  Republicans  had 
Mr.  Lincoln  for  their  standard-bearer,  and  the 
u Constitutional  Union"  party  had  Mr.  Bell,  of 
Tennessee,  for  their  leader.  Mr.  Baehtel  sup- 
ported Mr.  Bell,  claiming  that  his  platform 
•embraced  the  true  American  doctrine.  His 
objection  to  Mr.  Lincoln  was,  that  if  elected 
it  would  be  by  a  sectional  vote,  and  this  would 
furnish  the  South  with  the  very  pretext  they 
were  so  anxiously  seeking^  to  secede  from  the 
Union.  This,  in  his  opinion,  would  lead  to 
war,  and  war  should  be  avoided,  if  possible. 
Excitement  ran  high  in  West  Virginia.     Jack- 


128  BIOGRAPHY   OF 

son  County,  in  which  Mr.  Eachtel  lived,  was 
strongly  Democratic,  with  hundreds  of  south- 
ern Methodists  in  it.  Hence,  when  Mr.  Lincoln 
was  elected,  many  of  them  were  ready  to  go 
out  of  the  Federal  Union,  and  loudly  ap- 
plauded the  Federal  officers  of  the  South 
when  they  resigned.  Mr.  Baehtel  stood  firm 
for  the  Government  amid  the  secession  .break- 
ers, saying  that  he  could  not  see  bow  an  ol<t 
Whig  could  be  disloyal. 


JACOB   BACHTEL.  129 


CHAPTER    XI. 

Conference  of  18G1— Mr.  Bachtel's  report— necessity  of  sifting— 
Virginia  Convention — the  defection  of  members— General  Confer- 
ence—its personel — opening  religious  services— serenade  speeches 
— war  spirit — secrecy — report  of  the  committee  very  strong— an 
animated  discussion— the  vote — why  members  voted  against  it — 
a  prediction — Sandusky  Conference— an  "inquisition" — common 
law — what  is  it — Mr.  Bachtel  perplexed— independent  rela- 
tion asked  for  by  the  Parkersburg  Conference— reasons  for  it — 
failure — advice — losses  in  Parkersburg  Conference — a  dark  future 
— turmoil — southern  independence — Mr.  Bachtel's  course — report 
to  conference — annual  conference  — necessity  of  frith — Mr.  Bachtel 
still  in  Jackson;  why — preaches  for  rebel  soldiers — their  com- 
ments— Conference  of  18.3 — Mr.  Bachtel's  report— returned  to 
Jackson — a  quarterly  meeting — a  daily  paper — traveling  circuit. 
on  foot — success— a  rift  in  the  cloud. 

Mr.  Bachtel  labored  in  the  midst  of  this 
strife,  with  unflagging  industry,  and  was  pres- 
ent at  the  conference  of  1861,  which  com- 
menced  at   Union,    Mason  County,    Virginia. 

Previous  to  his  appointment  to  the  Jackson 
Circuit,  a  remarkable  revival  influence  had 
prevailed  all  over  the  circuit,  and  hundreds 
had  been  converted,  and  united  with  the 
church.     As  was  to  be  expected,  a  reaction  fal- 


130  BIOGRAPHY    OF 

lowed,  causing  a  serious  loss  of  members,  but 
nothing  more.  He  enforced  Discipline  with 
firmness,  whenever  necessary.  The  people  had 
never  seen  such  stern  justice  administered  before, 
and  were  unwilling  to  submit.  The  necessity 
of  a  pure  church  had  never  been  appreciated 
by  the  people.  Add  to  this  the  lax  discipline  of 
other  churches,  and  the  difficulties  of  his  posi- 
tion are  apparent.  To  these  difficulties  Mr. 
Bachtel  alluded  on  the  conference  floor,  in  a 
manner  which  awakened  the  sympathies  of 
his  brethren. 

During  this  session  of  the  conference  the 
convention  of  Virginia  was  also  in  session;  and 
it  was  evident  to  many  that  an  ordinance  of 
secession  would  be  reached  and  passed  before 
adjournment.  Men  who  had  been  elected  by 
the  suffrages  of  loyal  men  hod  betrayed  their 
constituents.  One  had  been  bought  by  a  gold- 
headed  cane;  another  was  influenced  by  the 
sight  of  a  rope;  indeed  the  mob  ruled  Richmond 
and  the  convention,  and  controlled  the  destiny  of 
the  state.  It  did  not  require  a  prophetic  gift 
to  be  able  to  forecast  the  influence  of  all  this 
on  the  interests  of  the  church.  At  that  time 
practically  the  only  antislavery  church  in  the 


JACOB   BACHTEL.  131 

South,  and  not  a  single  slave-holder  in  her  com- 
munion in  the  bounds  of  the  Parkersburg 
Conference,  with  her  preachers  and  people, 
denouncing,  with  flashing  eyes,  the  whole 
southern  movement,  it  was  to  be  expected  that 
the  United  Brethren  Church  would  be  the 
object  of  special  southern  hatred.  The  agents 
of  the  slave-power,  in  the  shape  of  drunken 
stump-speakers,  were  trying  to  arouse  the  peo- 
ple to  deeds  of  violence,  and  promised  that 
immediately  after  Virginia  voted  herself  out 
of  the  Union  the  "Brethren"  would  have  to 
leave  the  country  or  swing. 

Mr.  Bachtel's  anxiety  increased  as  he  saw 
the  storm  approaching;  and  he  looked  forward 
with  much  concern  to  the  meeting  of  the  Gen- 
eral Conference.  Sumter  had  fallen ;  Letcher 
had  sold  the  people  of  Virginia  to  the  president 
of  the  so-called  Confederate  States;  the 
voice  of  both  sections  was  for  war ;  the  loyal 
people  said  the  flag  must  be  respected  every- 
where ;  and  all  classes  clamored  for  the  arbitra- 
ment of  the  sword. 

The  General  Conference  which  convened  at 
Westcrvillc  was  made  up  of  war  men.  It  was 
a   scene   of   thrilling   power  while  the  senior 


132  BIOGRAPHY   OF 

bishop,  after  reading  the  12th  chapter  of  Ro- 
mans, announced  the  hymn  commencing: 

"Zion  stands  by  hills  surrounded, 
Zion  kept  by  power  divine; 
All  he  foes  shall  be  confounded 
Tho'  the  world  in  arms  combine. 

Happy  Zion, 
"What  a  favored  lot  is  thine. 

There  was  power  in  the  words  of  the  hymn, 
that  brought  comfort  to  a  few  hearts,  over 
which  the  pall  of  sadness  had  been  thrown. 
A  brass  band  in  the  village  serenaded  the  del- 
egates at  their  lodgings,  and  were  responded 
to  with  speeches  red  with  war.  Indeed,  the 
atmosphere  seemed  to  be  burdened  with  the 
spirit  of  war.  Men  were  hurrying  from  all 
parts  of  the  country  to  military  camps, 
eager  for  the  fray. 

The  conference  commenced  its  work  with  a 
good  deal  of  earnestness,  yet  a  shadow  rested 
upon  all.  Mr.  Bachtel,  especially,  was  sad,  and 
yielded  to  the  most  unpleasant  forebodings 
as  to  coming  events.  It  was  evident,  early  in 
the  session,  that  war  would  not  be  the 
only  cause  of  excitement.  Secrecy,  which 
in  one  sense  had  become  the  bugbear  of  the 
church,  was  sprung  upon  the  conference.  The 
law  was  not  strong  enough;  and  a   glance  at 


JACOB   BACHTEL.  133 

the  personcl  of  the  committee,  on  that  subject, 
was  sufficient  to  convince  any  one  that  the  re* 
port  would  be  strong  enough  to  suit  the  most 
ultra.  So  it  was  ;  as  it  proposed  to  try  the 
members  of  secret  societies  by  the  same  sec- 
tion of  Discipline  by  which  the  drunkard, 
adulterer,  &c.,  are  tried. 

The  question  was  raised,  by  the  writer,  as 
to  how  or  where  they  would  get  testimony 
upon  which  to  convict  a  man  of  immorality 
under  the  proposed  rule,  This  was  understood 
to  be  an  attack  upon  the  antisecrecy  sentiment 
and  policy  of  the  church,  and  to  repel  it  quite 
a  spirited  fight  commenced.  The  strong  men 
of  the  conference  rushed  to  the  aid  of  the 
menaced  "fundamental,"  as  it  had  been  called. 
A  church  law-making  body  was,  perhaps,  never 
more  excited  than  this.  The  discussion,  which 
commenced  in  the  morning,  continued  until 
late  in  the  afternoon,  but  was  all  on  one  side. 
In  order,  as  it  was  supposed,  to  bring  every 
member  to  the  test,  the  yeas  and  nays  were 
ordered.  The  nays  were,  Bachtel,  Dickson, 
Michael,  Perry,  and  Warner;  a  very  small 
minority,  when  it  was  known  that  there  were 
sixty-one  yeas, 


134  BIOGRAPHY  OF 

It  may  be  asked,  why  this  opposition  to 
what  was  manifestly  the  wish  of  a  large  major- 
ity of  the  church.  The  answer,  so  far  as  Mr. 
Bachtel  and  colleagues  are  concerned,  is  at 
hand.  It  was  not  so  much  the  law  against 
secrecy  as  the  mode  of  trial,  that  they  objected 
to.  Applying  the  test  authorized  by  the  Mas- 
ter, that  is,  to  know  men  by  their  fruits,  it  was 
inexorably  true  that  many  who  were  connected 
with  secret  societies  were  men  of  excellent 
moral  character,  and  some  of  them  were  tal- 
ented and  successful  ministers  of  Jesus  Christ. 
But  the  report  of  the  committee  degraded  them 
to  a  level  with  the  unclean  and  dissolute',  thus 
going  beyond  the  teachings  of  the  Master.  The 
law  said  it  was  a  "mortal"  sin  for  a  minister 
or  member  of  the  United  Brethren  Church  to 
join  a  secret  society.  "If  so,"  said  Mr.  Bach- 
tel, "then  it  is  a  sin  in  the  members  and  min- 
isters of  any  other  church,  and,  to  be  consistent, 
we  should  not  fellowship  them."  This  was  the 
logical  conclusion  of  the  premise  found  in  the 
now  law.  It  was  answered  that  connection 
with  the  church  was  voluntary,  and  all  who 
joined  the  church  were  acquainted  with  our 
position  on  secrecy,  and  hence,  if  they  after- 


JACOB   BACHTEL.  135 

Ward  joined  one  of  these  interdicted  societies, 
they  sinned  against  the  church.  But  nothing 
can  be  a  din  against  the  church  which  id  not  at  the 
same  time  a  sih  against  God.  No  church  has 
authority  to  make  an  act  sinful  that  the  Bible 
does  not  pronounce  wicked.  The  only  true 
standard  of  morality  is  found  in  the  sacred 
canon.  The  United  Brethren  Church  is  not 
infallible,  and  therefore  can  not  set  up  any 
standard  of  moral  right,  only  as  authorized  by 
the  word  of  God. 

Mr.  Bachtel  was  in  favor  of  making  the 
clause  advisory,  the  same  as  that  on  dress,  but 
in  this  was  defeated.  It  was  predicted  by  some 
of  the  coolest  and  most  sagacious  men  of  the 
church,  that  the  legislation  of  1861  would  be 
followed,  in  twelve  years,  by  a  reaction,  in 
which  the  church  would  entirely  recede  from 
her  position  on  secrecy.  He  did  not  look  on 
the  subject  so  much  in  this  light  as  in  another. 
He  believed  that  the  church  would  fail  to 
accomplish  a  work  of  any  magnitude  in  the 
large  towns  and  cities.  It  is  a  fact  which 
commends  itself  to  the  serious  consideration  of 
the  leading  men  of  the  church,  that  we  have 
not  a  single  congregation  of  vigorous  growth  in 


130  BIOGRAPHY  OP 

any  political  or  commercial  center  in  the  tJnU 
ted  States.  Mr.  Bachtel  predicted,  years  ago> 
that  this  would  be  the  result.  While  other 
churches  are  realizing  princely  donations  from 
their  wealthy  members  in  the  cities,  we  have 
received  no  such  gifts,  from  the  fact  that  we 
are  unknown  in  these  centers  of  wealth. 

This  question  was  before  this  body  in  another 
form.  Sometime  previous  to  the  meeting  of 
the  General  Conference,  several  members  of 
the  Sanduskv  Annual  Conference  had  taken 
several  degrees  of  Masonry.  For  some  cause, 
they  were  suspected^  and  the  purpose  formed 
to  dig  out  the  facts.  In  order  to  this,  a  resolu- 
tion was  passed,  authorizing  the  bishop  to  ask 
the  members  whether  they  belonged  to  a  secret 
society.  This  made  it  absolutely  necessary  for 
them  either  to  lie  or  convict  themselves.  '  As  a 
matter  of  course,this  inquisitorial  process  would 
develop  all  the  facts^  and  did,  thus  making 
each  man  testify  against  himself.  It  should 
be  remembered  that  at  this  time  the  letter  of 
the  Discipline  did  not  prevent  ministers  from 
being  members  of  secret  societies.  The  case 
was  brought  before  the  General  Conference,  in 
the  form  of  impeachment  of  the  annual  confer* 


JACOB   BA.CHTEL.  137 

ence.  The  prosecution  was  conducted  by  Mr. 
Chittenden,  of  Indiana.  Two  points  were 
insisted  upon;  first,  the  preliminaries  required 
by  the  Discipline  had  not  been  attended  to; 
secondly,  the  conference  had  no  power  to  adopt 
a  rule  not  already  in  the  Discipline. 

Markwood  said  that  there  was  no  law  by 
which  to  try  these  men,  but  justified  the  "in- 
quisition," as  he  called  it,  upon  the  ground  of 
"urgency"  and  "expediency."  Bishop  Davis 
asreecl  with  Markwood  as  to  the  absence  of 
rule,  but  claimed  that  he  had  tried  the  parties 
by  the  common  law  of  the  church.  Common 
law  is  made  up  of  precedents,  going  back  in 
the  history  farther  than  the  memory  of  man; 
hence,  as  a  church,  we  had  no  common  law. 
Our  whole  history  presented  but  a  single  pre- 
cedent, and  that  occurred  before  we  had  any 
law  on  secrecy,  in  the  case  of  Mr.  Ball,  of  a 
western  conference. 

Mr.  Bachtel  was  perplexed  as  to  what  was 
right  in  the  matter.  He  said:  ""The  case  is 
very  dark  to  me.  It  seems  to  me,  however, 
that  these  brethren  did  err  somewhat  in  join- 
ing the  Masons;  but  whether  the  conference 
pursued  the  disciplinary  course,  I  can  not 
10 


138  BIOGRAPHY   OF 

determine."  When  a  vote  was  reached  he 
declined  to  vote.     The  impeachment  failed. 

I  have  been  thus  particular  on  the  subject 
of  secrecy,  in  order  to  vindicate  the  character 
and  protect  the  memory  of  a  good  and  true 
man.  He  was  always  governed  by  convictions 
of  right,  and  not  by  feelings  of  ambition  and 
policy,  and  for  this  reason  he  was  often  with 
the  minority  in  church  and  state. 

Another  question  was  introduced  at  this  ses- 
sion, having  direct  reference  to  the  church  in 
the  South.  The  delegates  from  the  Parkersburg 
Conference  saw  the  extreme  peril  to  which  the 
church  would  be  exposed  during  the  war,  which 
they  believed  inevitable.  They  had  labored 
in  this  mountainous  country  for  years,  and  suf- 
fered much  in  time  of  peace,  and  felt  that  their 
connection  with  the  church  in  the  North  would 
be  seized  as  a  pretext  for  the  most  cruel  perse- 
cution. With  these  impressions  they  agreed 
upon  a  plan,  which  was  submitted  on  the  last 
day  of  the  session.  It  proposed,  in  view  of  the 
difficulties  existing  in  the  bounds  of  the  Par- 
kersburg Conference,  that  this  conference  be 
allowed  to  be  independent  in  its  relations  to 
the   church,  until  the  meeting  of  the  General 


JACOB   BACHTEL.  139 

Conference  of  1365 ;  provided,  that  nothing 
should  be  done  to  destroy  the  unity  of  the 
church.  This  measure  met  with  much  opposi- 
tion, it  being  claimed  that  the  General  Confer- 
ence could  not  legally  grant  the  request.  The 
delegates  from  the  Virginia  Conference  opposed 
it.  One  delegate  said  that  they  had  ordered  the 
discontinuance  of  the  Religious  Telescope,  and 
was  satisfied  that  this  was  all  that  was  neces- 
sary to  be  done  to  save  the  church  in  the  Vir- 
ginia Conference.  The  general  impression  was 
that  the  war  would  close  in  six  months,  at 
farthest ;  and  when  Mr,  Bachtel  and  others 
said  that  it  would  require  years  to  put  down 
the  rebellion,  the  remark  was  understood  as 
savoring  of  disloyalty.  The  writer  remarked 
that  if  a  separation  were  found  necessary  on  our 
return  home,  to  save  the  church,  we  would  as- 
sume an  independent  relation  until  the  meeting 
of  the  next  General  Conference.  A  prominent 
member,  and  one  who  voted  against  the  prop- 
osition, whispered  to  the  writer:  "I  think  that 
would  be  the  best  thing  you  could  do."  For- 
tunately, it  never  became  necessary  to  separate, 
yet  the  propriety  of  it  has  never  been  doubted 
by    those   who   favored   the    measure.      The 


140  BIOGRAPHY   OF 

church  sustained  a  loss  in  the  Parkersburg 
Conference  of  not  less  than  eight  hundred 
members  during  the  first  year  of  the  war,  re- 
ducing our  membership  to  less  than  sixteen 
hundred.  It  was  our  opinion  that  if  we  could 
retain  the  confidence  of  these  people,  we 
should  win  many  of  them  from  the  dangerous 
heresy  of  secession ;  and  a  seeming  separation 
from  the  church  would  have  greatly  facilitated 
this,  and  extended  our  influence  very  materi- 
ally. 

The  General  Conference  adjourned  on  Fri- 
day evening;  and  many  of  the  delegates  went 
to  Columbus,  among  them  Mr.  Bachtel.  At 
this  place  Ave  learned  that  rebel  troops  had 
crossed  the  Alleghanies,  and  were  in  Grafton, 
thus  strongly  hinting  that  they  intended  to  oc- 
cupy the  country.  Mr.  Bachtel  was  very 
much  dispirited;  and  well  he  might  be,  for 
there  was  nothing  hopeful  in  the  future  as  it 
presented  itself  to  his  mind.  West  Virginia 
would  be  a  battle-field,  and  all  the  horrors  of 
war  would  be  brought  to  our  doors ;  yet  he 
turned  his  face  toward  the  South,  determined 
to  be  true  to  the  right,  and  trust  in  God.  He 
reached  home  to  find  the  country  in  much  con- 


JACOB   BACHTEL.  141 

fusion.  Men  were  enlisting  in  his  county  for 
the  war  of  "southern  independence,"  four 
companies  from  his  county  going  out  early  in 
the  war.  Mr.  Bachtel  com  batted  their  theories, 
and  told  them  that  they  were  heretical  and 
dangerous.  As  an  "old  line  Whig,  "  he  could 
not  be  a  party  to  any  movement  having  for  its. 
object  the  destruction  of  the  Federal  Union. 

His  influence  was  such  that  he  saved  to  the 
church  and  Government  the  most  of  our  peo- 
ple in  Jackson  County;  yet  his  report  showed 
a  considerable  falling  off.  It  is  as  follows:  Re- 
ceived, two ;  lost,  ninety ;  making  a  decrease  of 
eighty-eight.  This  was  the  most  thorough 
work  ever  known  in  the  Parkersburg  Confer- 
ence; but  it  left  to  Jackson  Circuit  not  only  a 
spiritual  but  a  respectable  membership,  and 
laid  the  foundation  for  a  very  good  circuit. 
He  received  as  salary  one  hundred  and  thirty- 
three  dollars — a  mere  pittance,  and  less  than 
they  ought  to  have  paid,  even  if  the  country 
was  agitated  with  war.  Had  it  not  been  that 
he  owned  a  little  farm  he  certainly  would  have 
suffered. 

He  did  not  attend  the  conference  of  1862, 
which  convened  at  Centreville,  March  7th.    It 


142  BIOGRAPHY   OF 

was  thought  by  him,  and  others,  that  it  would 
not  be  prudent  to  have  a  session  of  conference, 
from  the  fact  that  our  bishop  could  not  be  with 
us,  and  that  the  country  was  in  such  a  terrible 
commotion  as  to  give  but  little  hope  of  suc- 
cess in  the  operations  of  the  church.  Because 
of  this,  there  were  but  nine  members  present, 
and  thirteen  absent. 

This  was  the  darkest  hour  the  church  ever 
saw  in  West  Virginia.  Our  bishop  was  shut  up 
in  the  South,  and  we  were  left  to  guide  our 
vessel  through  the  breakers,  in  the  midst  of  a 
fearful  storm.  But  high  above  the  roar  of  the 
tempest  we  heard  the  voice  of  the  Master,  say- 
ing :  "I  will  never  leave  thee  nor  forsake  thee." 
God  helped  us,  or  all  would  have  been  lost. 
The  business  of  conference  was  attended  to 
the  same  as  if  all  had  been  present,  and  the 
fields  were  manned  with  preachers  who  were 
ready  to  do,  to  dare,  and  suffer  for  the  church. 
Mr.  Bachtel  was  returned  to  Jackson  Circuit, 
with  Z.  Warner  for  presiding  elder.  For  sat- 
isfactory reasons  the  elder  did  not  visit  this 
circuit  during  the  year.  No  man  seemed  so 
well  qualified  to  meet  the  responsibilities  of 
this  charge  as  Mr,  Bachtel.     Guerrillas  were 


JACOB   BACHTEL.  143 

on  some  part  of  it  all  the  time,  yet  for  some 
reason  they  always  respected  him,  and  his 
property  was  untouched. 

While  traveling  here  the  rebel  troops  occu- 
pied a  church  in  which  he  preached.  He  was 
there  at  his  appointment,  and  preached  as 
usual.  The  soldiers  were  highly  pleased,  and 
expressed  a  wish  that  they  had  such  a  man  for 
their  chaplain.  The  chaplain  they  had  with 
them  had  voluntarily  taken  the  oath  of  alle- 
giance to  the  government  of  the  United  States, 
and  then  had  gone  South.  As  a  matter  of 
course,  such  a  man  could  not  preach.  Per- 
haps the  man  thought  that  he  was  not  bad 
enough  to  go  South  as  he  was,  and  concluded 
to  follow  the  example  of  judges,  senators,  &c. — 
perjure  himself,  so  as  that  he  would  be  a  good 
fellow  in  the  land  of  treason. 

The  conference  convened  March  6th,  1863, 
at  Freeman's  Creek,  Lewis  County,  West  Vir- 
ginia. Mr.  Bachtel  did  not  attend.  Only 
eight  preachers  were  present,  while  fourteen 
were  absent.  Indeed  many  thought,  as  the 
conference  was  in  the  interior,  that  there  would 
be  a  raid  upon  it  in  order  to  get  some  good 
horses.     This  fear,  however,  was  groundless. 


144  BIOGRAPHY   OF 

Mr.  Bachtel  reported  sixteen  members  received 
and  twenty-seven  lost.  He  received  as  salary 
one  hundred  and  fifty-two  dollars,  and  for  mis- 
sions two  dollars.  This  report  was  not  so 
small  because  he  did  not  look  after  every  in- 
terest of  the  church,  but  because  his  people 
had  been  so  robbed  by  the  rebels  as  to  be  un- 
able to  do  any  more.  Although  he  had  trav- 
eled three  years  on  this  work,  the  people 
desired  his  return.  To  meet  this  desire,  the 
conference,  according  to  the  manner  provided 
in  the  Discipline,  sent  him  back. 

The  writer  was  appointed  to  the  district. 
The  first  quarterly  meeting  was  held  at  Parch- 
ment Chapel,  in  May.  The  conference  was 
full,  and  the  session  pleasant.  Mr.  Bachtel 
wras  their  leader,  and  no  one  dreamed  of  going 
contrary  to  what  he  said  was  right.  His  au- 
thority and  influence  were  supreme.  The 
writer  had  a  daily  paper,  and  Mr.  Bachtel  ad- 
vised that  it  be  put  aside,  as  it  would  be  mis- 
represented. The  people  of  the  North  will 
hardly  believe  that  it  was,  by  many,  considered 
a  crime  for  a  minister  to  read  a  loyal  paper; 
yet  it  is  true.  Mr.  Bachtel  was  secretary  of 
the  conference,  and  the  records  were  very  cor- 


JACOB    BACHTEL.  145 

rectly  kept.  The  meeting  was  a  very  pleas- 
ant one,  and  Christians  felt  that  it  was  good  to 
worship  God  in  that  place.  His  labors  of 
this  year  were  abundant,  and  much  of  the 
travel  was  performed  on  foot.  His  own  horse 
being  unfit  for  use,  he  was  afraid  to  borrow 
one,  on  account  of  the  numerous  horse-thieves 
that  roamed  through  the  country.  Sometimes 
he  preferred  this  mode  of  traveling,  from  the 
fact  that  he  felt  better  than  when  he  rode. 
This  was  imprudent,  and,  perhaps,  contributed 
much  to  the  affliction  which  resulted  in  his 
death. 

During  the  year,  the  tide  of  opposition  re- 
ceded somewhat,  and  indomitable  energy  and 
perseverance  began  to  conquer  difficulties. 
Some  good  meetings  occurred,  and  a  number 
joined  the  church;  and  there  was  an  increase  of 
ten  on  the  circuit.  Mr.  Bachtel  received  as 
salary  one  hundred  and  seventy-eight  dollars, 
paid  the  presiding  elder  twenty-one  dollars, 
and  collected  for  missions  eight  dollars,  show- 
ing a  marked  improvement  in  every  interest. 
The  people  desired  that  he  should  be  returned 
the  fifth  year;  and  if  this  had  been  done,  no 
doubt  he  would  have  been  quite  successful. 


146  BIOGRAPHY   OF 


CHAPTER    XII. 

Elected  to  General  Conference — military  affairs — the  effect  on 
Mr.  Bachtel  — success — report  to  conference — an  incident — Bishop 
Markwood,  &c.— first  quarterly  meeting — a  painful  rumor — it 
is  confirmed — Lincoln  slain — joy  of  the  people  blasted — provi- 
dence of  God — away  to  General  Conference — a  quiet  scene — 
Queen  City — on  the  cars — Chicago — Lisbon — Board  of  Missions 
— friends  meet — a  rumor — what  is  loyalty — meeting  of  conference 
— Bishop  Glossbrenner — a  vindication — debt  on  the  Printing  Es- 
tablishment— how  to  be  raised — theological  training — opposition 
— plan  adopted — Mr.  Bachtel's  views  and  advice — capture  of  Jef- 
ferson Davis — Doxology,  &c. — report  of  Committee  on  the  State  of 
the  Country — an  amendment — difficulty — the  vote — Mr.  Bach- 
tel's position — his  reason — his  dissatisfaction — a  question  of  priv- 
ilege—how it  resulted— conference  adjourned — Mr.  Bachtel's 
opinion  of  the  West. 

In  November,  1864,  Mr.  Bachtel  was  again 
elected  to  General  Conference.  He  had  served 
his  people  well  in  the  past,  and  they  honored 
him  for  his  fidelity.  The  summer  campaign 
had  ended,  after  the  most  terrible  fighting  re- 
corded in  the  annals  of  modern  warfare,  and 
General  Grant  held  Richmond  by  the  throat. 
The  rebel  press  sought  to  divert  the  minds  of 
their  people  from  advantages  gained  in  the  in- 


JACOB   BACHTEL.  147 

terest  of  the  Government,  by  extravagant 
stories  about  Grant's  losses  during  the  cam- 
paign. The  loyal  people  mourned  the  loss  of 
many  brave  men — heroes  who  had  gone  down 
amid  the  smoke  of  battle  to  rise  no  more,  yet 
rejoiced  in  the  certain  prospect  of  the  tri- 
umph of  the  cause  of  free  government.  Gen- 
eral Sherman  was  on  his  way  to  the  sea, 
making  his  "  belt  of  desolation,"  with  none  to 
oppose  his  march.  Mr.  Bachtel  was  in  fine 
spirits.  With  his  usual  sagacity,  he  saw  that 
the  cause  of  the  Union  would  triumph,  and 
that  the  spring  and  summer  would  witness  the 
death  throes  of  the  rebellion.  He  became 
more  hopeful  as  to  the  success  of  the  church 
in  West  Virginia,  and  labored  with  more  ani- 
mation and  success.  Several  very  good  meet- 
ings occurred  on  his  circuit,  and  numbers 
joined  the  church.  He  reported  West  Colum- 
bia Circuit  as  follows :  Members  received, 
ninety-five;  increase,  eighty-eight;  salary  re- 
ceived, three  hundred  and  fifty-seven  dollars; 
presents,  fifty-three  dollars;  collected  for  mis- 
sions, eighty-four  dollars. 

During  this  year  a  fine  meeting  occurred  at 
Union  Church  one  night.   Many  were  praising 


148  BIOGRAPHY   OF 

God,  and  among  them  several  who  had  been 
converted  that  evening.  Persons  were  invited 
forward  to  join  the  church.  A  half  dozen  or 
more  came  forward  and  gave  their  names.  Mr. 
Bachtel,  after  taking  their  names,  turned  to  the 
light  to  read  them,  so  that  they  could  be  chal- 
lenged, if  necessary.  When  turning  back  to 
where  he  had  left  them,  to  give  them  the  right 
hand  of  fellowship,  they  were  all  gone,  and 
could  be  seen  out  in  the  audience  praising 
God. 

Bishop  Mark  wood  presided  at  the  confer- 
ence which  convened  at  Otterbein,  Doddridge 
County,  in  March,  1865.  Mr.  Bachtel  was 
elected  chairman.  The  business  of  conference 
progressed  pleasantly,  with  little  exception. 
He  was  appointed  the  chairman  of  the  Com- 
mittee on  Grievances.  Two  members  of  con- 
ference were  referred  to  this  committee,  one  of 
whom  was  found  guilty  and  withdrew  from 
the  conference  under  charges.  On  Sabbath 
afternoon  the  writer  preached  the  funeral  of  a 
soldier  who  had  perished  at  Andersonville. 
Mr.  Bachtel  closed,  and  became  so  animated 
that  he  praised  God  aloud. 

He  was  returned  to  West  Columbia,  with  A. 


JACOB   BACHTEL.  149 

L.  Moore  for  a  colleague.  He  still  resided  in 
Jackson  County,  and  sometimes  walked  to  his 
circuit  and  then  to  his  appointments.  The 
distance  from  his  home  to  his  circuit  was 
nearly  thirty  miles.  This,  to  say  the  least  of 
it,  was  unwise,  as  he  had  been  in  the  active 
ministry  more  than  thirty  years,  and  was  un- 
well much  of  his  time. 

His  first  quarterly  meeting  was  held  at 
Union,  and  resulted  in  a  number  of  conversions 
and  accessions  to  the  church.  This,  in  some 
respects,  was  a  remarkable  meeting.  General 
Lee  had  capitulated,  and  President  Lincoln  had 
been  to  Richmond  and  dictated  telegrams  from 
the  Jefferson  Davis  mansion.  The  country 
was  wild  with  joy ;  bonfires  were  blazing;  bells 
were  ringing;  and  cannon  were  thundering, 
sending  the  wild  echoings  all  over  the  loyal 
North.  The  sea  of  blood  was  crossed,  and  the 
nation's  life  and  honor  had  been  preserved. 
The  author  met  Mr.  Bachtel  on  Saturday 
morning.  His  face  was  radiant  with  the  expres- 
sion .  of  good  and  hopeful  feelings.  When 
we  met,  he  said:  ''Thank  God,  the  country  is 
safe  and  the  war  ended."  The  same  day  there 
were  rumors  afloat  that  both   President  Lin- 


150  BIOGRAPHY  OF 

coin  and  Secretary  Seward  had  been  assasin* 
ated.  The  mention  of  such  an  event  sent  a 
chill  to  the  heart.  The  rumor  stalked  the 
country  like  some  green  monster  shaking  its 
gory  locks  in  the  face  of  the  millions  of  rejoic- 
ing patriots.  This  was  the  "  bitterest  drop  in 
the  chemistry  of  God."  But  it  was  only  "  a 
rumor,  a  rebel  lie  uttered  in  spite,"  and  so  we 
solaced  ourselves.  Mr.  Bachtel  was  power- 
fully impressed  with  the  rumor  in  its  incep- 
tion, and  believed  it,  from  the  fact,  as  he  said, 
that  the  wicked  rebels  were  capable  of  doing 
anything  mean. 

Sabbath  morning  dawned  clear  and  bright. 
April  was  strangely  beautiful  and  lovely.  A 
large  audience  convened  for  experience  meet- 
ing. Many,  with  radiant  faces,  spoke  of  the 
love  of  Jesus,  of  the  grace  they  had  already 
received,  and  the  hope  of  the  blessed  life  which 
they  still  cherished.  It  was  a  time  "  of  the 
Son  of  Man."  The  early  morning  service 
closed,  and  during  the  short  recess  the  rumor 
of  the  previous  day  was  painfully  confirmed. 

President  Lincoln  had  fallen  by  a  hand 
nerved  by  treason.  Sorrow,  with  dark  wings, 
infolded  the  hearts   of  the   United   Brethren 


JACOB   BACHTEL.  151 

present.  The  news  fell  with  crushing  weight 
on  Mr.  Bachtel.  In  a  sermon  which  he 
preached  on  Sunday  night,  on  the  subject  of 
Divine  Providence,  he  said :  "  The  providence 
of  God  is  hard  to  understand,  and  especially  is 
it  dark  and  mysterious  at  this  time.  Who  can 
tell  the  effect  of  the  death  of  the  President  on 
the  country?" 

But  God,  in  mercy,  soon  mitigated  the  sor- 
row of  the  nation's  heart,  and  the  people 
rallied  to  the  work  of  placing  our  institutions 
upon  a  firm  foundation.  In  nothing  has  the 
manifestation  of  the  providence  of  God  been 
more  marked  than  in  the  events  connected  with 
the  death  of  Mr.  Lincoln.  The  finances  of  the 
country  scarcely  felt  it;  the  people  seemed  in- 
stinctively to  get  nearer  to  God  and  each  other; 
the  confusion  which  would  have  assuredly  at- 
tended the  death  of  a  ruler  in  any  other 
country  was  wholly  unknown.  This  event 
taught  the  people  an  important  lesson,  and 
caused  them  to  look  well  and  carefully  in  the 
direction  from  which  the  blow  was  dealt. 

On  Saturday,  May  6th,  1865,  Messrs.  Bach* 
tel  and  Perry,  with  the  writer,  took  passage  on 
the  steamer  "  Revenue,  "  for  Cincinnati.    The 


152  BIOGHAPHY  OF 

sun  was  just  going  down  in  a  flood  of  gold  as  the 
boat  rounded  out  from  West  Columbia.  Friends 
had  waved  their  adieus  from  the  shore,  and  we 
were  rapidly  steaming  down  the  beautiful  Ohio. 
Mr.  Perry  was  quite  unwell  and  had  to  keep  his 
state-room  during  the  trip.  Mr.  Bachtel  spent 
most  of  the  day  on  the  "hurricane  deck."  The 
day  was  one  of  soft,  quiet  beauty,  and  a  Sabbath 
stillness  reigned  on  either  shore.  Carefully 
cultivated  vineyards,  reaching  almost  down  to 
the  river,  could  be  seen  both  in  Kentucky  and 
Ohio ;  yet  it  was  apparent  that  the  latter  was 
considerably  in  advance  of  the  former— as  far 
in  advance  as  intelligent  free  labor  is  in  advance 
of  slave  or  forced  labor.  Mr.  Bachtel  enjoyed 
it  all  very  much,  and  his  remarks  showed  that 
he  saw  all  the  advantages  and  beauties  of  the 
country. 

About  three  o'clock  P.  m.  we  reached  the 
"  Queen  City  of  the  West,"  a  huge,  ugly  thing, 
as  unlike  a  queen  as  a  bat  is  unlike  an  eagle ; 
and  yet  it  is  a  great  center  of  commerce,  send- 
ing out  many  channels  of  active  trade.  Both 
Mr.  Bachtel  and  Mr.  Perry  had  been  here  be- 
fore, and  were  acquainted  with  the  city.  Leav- 
ing the  writer  in  charge  of  the  baggage,  they 


JACOB  BACHTEL.  153 

Went  ashore  in  search  of  a  lodging  place.  Mr. 
Perry's  illness  had  so  far  increased  as  to  make 
it  necessary  to  leave  him.  After  awhile  Mr. 
Bachtel  returned  with  an  invitation  from  Bro, 

F -,  a  wrhole-souled  Christian  gentleman,  to 

partake  of  the  hospitality  of  his  elegant  home. 
The  writer  preached  that  evening,  and  Mr. 
Bachtel  closed  with  a  very  impressive  prayer. 
On  the  following  day  we  took  the  train  for 
Chicago,  via  Indianapolis,  Lafayette,  and 
Michigan  City.  Mr.  Bachtel  enjoyed  the  rap- 
idly changing  scenes,  but  was  much  surprised  at 
the  character  of  the  country  between  Lawrence- 
burg  and  the  capital  of  Indiana.  Portions  of 
the  country  were  almost  barren,  while  other 
parts  were  so  marshy  as  to  make  cultivation 
very  difficult.  Indianapolis  Mr.  Bachtel  con- 
sidered the  prettiest  city  that  he  saw  in  the 
West,  From  this  city  to  the  lake  shore,  the 
darkness  prevented  any  observations  of  th<3 
-country.  The  "  sandy  desert"  around  Mich- 
igan City,  and  for  miles  in  the  direction  of  Chi- 
cago, with  Lake  Michigan,  were  great  novelties 
to  Mr.  Bachtel.  A  high  wind  was  prevailing, 
making  the  lake  very  rough. 

Chicago   was  reached  twenty  minutes   too 
li 


154  BIOGRAPHY   OF 

late  for  the  Cedar  Rapids  train,  and  yet  we 
were  on  time.  Inquiring  for  a  train,  we  as- 
certained that  there  would  be  none  until  6:30 
p.  m.  This  was  a  great  disappointment  to 
Mr.  Bachtel,  as  he  was  anxious  to  see  Bishop 
Grlossbrenner,  and  attend  the  meeting  of  the 
Board  of  Missions,  at  Lisbon,  Iowa.  This  was 
now  out  of  the  question,  so  he  concluded  to 
l*  see  the  city."  He  admired  the  business  ac- 
tivity everywhere  apparent.  During  the  day 
he  had  quite  an  adventure.  Being  roughly 
dressed,,  it  was  an  easy  matter  to  mistake  him 
for  a  farmer  from  the  country,  having  "cattle  or 
produce"  to  sell.  One  of  the  confidence  men 
of  that — at  that  time — den  of  thieves  ap- 
proached him,  and  by  some  skillfully  put  ques- 
tions ascertained  that  he  was  a  stranger  in  the 
city.  Putting  on  the  appearance  of  distress 
and  great  perplexity,  he  informed  Mr.  Bachtel 
that  he  too  was  a  stranger  in  the  place,  and 
was  so  unfortunate  as  to  have  all  uncurrent 
money  in  his  possession.  He  appealed  to  Mr. 
Bachtel  to  help  him  by  exchanging  money. 
He  informed  the  fellow  that  he  was  a  traveler,  * 
and  needed  his  money  to  finish  his  journey. 
The  fellow  insisted  that  his  money  was   good, 


JACOB    BACHTEL  155 

and  to  prove  it  offered  to  go  to  a  bank  and 
have  it  tested.  Said  Mr.  Bachtel :  "If  it  is  good 
you  had  better  keep  it,"  and  turning  away  left 
the  would-be  sharper  under  the  impression 
that  the  "  old  fellow  "  was  not  as  green  as  he 
had  supposed.  Mr.  Bachtel  was  satisfied  that 
the  bank  to  which  the  "distressed"  man 
wished  him  to  go  could  not  be  found  in  the 
business  directory  of  Chicago. 

In  the  afternoon  quite  a  number  of  delegates 
reached  the  city,  among  them  several  with 
whom  Mr.  Bachtel  was  acquainted.  This 
made  the  time  pass  quite  pleasantly.  At  the 
appointed  hour,  the  train  went  skimming 
away  over  the  prairies.  The  moon  was 
shining  in  full-orbed  splendor,  enabling  the 
traveler  to  see  the  country  for  miles  around. 
We  reached  Lisbon  at  daybreak,  and  found  an 
elegant  home  with  Bro.  Curtis.  Here  Mr. 
Bachtel  met  Bishop  Glossbrenner  and  Mr,  Ri- 
mel.  It  was  a  tender  meeting,  in  which  but 
few  words  were  spoken;  yet  each  could  read  in 
the  moist  eye  of  the  other  the  powerful  feel- 
ings that  could  hardly  be  kept  back.  Six 
months  before  this  meeting  there  had  been 
whispers,  growing  more   loud,  however,  that 


156  BIOGRAPHY    OF 

Bishop  Glossbrenner  had  aided,  voluntarily, 
the  rebel  cause.  Mr.  Bachtel  heard  it,  hut 
gave  no  public  intimation  of  what  he  thought 
about  it.  To  the  author  he  said  :  "lam  not 
going  to  throw  the  Bishop  awTay  until  I  ask 
him  about  the  matter;  and  whatever  he  says  I 
will  believe.  But  if  he  is  a  rebel  I  can  not  sup- 
port him  for  any  position  in  the  church." 
Again  he  said:  "If  this  report  should  prevent 
the  election  of  Brother  Glossbrenner,  I  hope 
the  General  Conference  will  give  us  a  man 
of  prudence  and  good  sense." 

At  his  earliest  convenience,  in  company  with 
the  writer,  he  sought  a  private  interview  with 
the  Bishop,  and  learned  from  his  own  lips  that 
he  had  never  faltered  in  his  devotion  to  the 
Government,  though  it  cost  something  to  maintain 
Ms  ground.  Said  Mr.  Bachtel:  "  These  people 
in  the  North  are  not  very  good  judges  of  loy- 
alty, from  the  fact  that  where  they  live  they 
risk  nothing  in  being  loyal,  while  in  the  South 
a  loyal  man  risks  everything."  There  was 
much  truth  in  the  remark,  as  every  southern 
loyalist  knows.  Mr.  Bachtel  wTanted  the 
Bishop  to  vindicate  himself  before  the  confer^ 
ence,  as  he  was  anxious  to  have  him  for  our 
superintendent  in  the  future. 


JACOB    BACHTEL.  157 

The  day  was  passed  pleasantly,  while  the 
Board  of  Missions  were  devising  plans  for  a 
more  successful  prosecution  of  our  mission 
work.  On  the  following  morning  we  took  the 
train  for  Cedar  Rapids;  then  in  wagons  across 
the  flower-bedecked  prairie,  to  Western,  the 
place  of  meeting  of  the  General  Conference. 
Mr.  Bachtel's  home  was  with  Mr.  Bowersox, 
formerly  a  member  of  the  Virginia  Conference. 
Indeed  there  is  quite  a  colony  of  Virginians 
here,  which  gives  the  community  quite  a  home- 
like appearance. 

On  the  assembling  of  conference,  in  the  aft- 
ernoon, Bishop  Edwards  opened  the  session 
with  appropriate  religious  services ;  after 
which  Mr.  Raber,  of  the  Pennsylvania  Confer- 
ence, was  elected  secretary.  Bishop  Kumler 
preached,  at  night,  the  conference  sermon, 
which  was  very  pointed  in  some  respects. 

Mr.  Bachtel  was  made  chairman  of  the  Com- 
mittee on  Boundaries,  which  was  made  up  of 
one  delegate  from  each  annual  conference — 
thirty-one  in  all.  The  report  of  the  committee, 
in  the  main,  was  adopted,  and  was,  as  a  whole, 
very  judicious. 

On  the  morning  of  the  second  day,  Bishop 


158  BIOGRAPHY  OF 

Glossbrenner  arose  to  a  question  of  privilege, 
and  Droceeded  to  defend  his  course  in  remain- 
ing in  Virginia  during  the  war,  also,  his  loyalty 
to  the  church  and  general  government.  The 
vindication  was  triumphant,  and  lifted  a  great 
burden  from  the  minds  of  his  friends.  Said 
Mr.  Bachtel :  "  I  was  almost  certain  that  the 
Bishop  would  come  out  all  right."  There  is 
no  doubt,  with  some,  an  anxiety  to  know  how 
this  very  grave  report  got  afloat.  This  to  very 
few,  of  whom  Mr.  Bachtel  was  one,  is  known, 
but  it  is  better  now  to  throw  the  mantle  of 
charity  over  it  all. 

Matters  of  great  importance  were  before  this 
General  Conference,  one  of  which  was  the 
heavy  indebtedness  of  the  Printing  Establish- 
ment, amounting  to  more  than  fifty  thousand 
dollars.  The  committee  appointed  to  consider 
this  interest  made  a  report,  in  which  it  was 
proposed  to  distribute  forty-two  thousand  dol- 
lars of  this  debt  among  the  annual  conferences, 
in  the  shape  of  a  direct  tax.  Mr.  Bachtel 
supported  this  report  most  heartily.  He  said, 
often,  that  no  church  could  succeed  without 
a  press.  He  voted  for  the  report  in  good 
faith,  as  the  sequel  will  show. 


JACOB   BACHTEL.  159 

The  subject  of  ministerial  training  was  dis- 
cussed at  considerable  length.  The  committee 
having  this  interest  in  charge  reported  in  favor 
of  connecting  with  one  or  more  of  our  schools 
a  thorough  training  in  theology.  This  report 
was  so  amended  as  to  allow  any  student,  who 
might  desire  it,  to  receive  from  the  faculty  in- 
struction in  our  present  course  of  reading. 
Some  members  of  the  General  Conference 
doubted  the  propriety  of  this;  they  were  afraid 
of  introducing  into  our  pulpits  a  formal,  Christ- 
less  ministry.  Others,  and  among  them  Mr. 
Bachtel,  thought  that  a  well-guarded  plan  of 
theological  training  ought  to  be  adopted. 
Schools  were  multiplying  and  intelligence  was 
increasing ;  and  we,  as  a  church,  must  educate, 
in  order  to  have  a  successful  ministry.  No  man 
attached  more  importance  to  an  intelligent 
ministry  than  did  Mr.  Bachtel.  He  often 
said  :  "  If  a  man  has  sense  he  can  always  get  a 
congregation,  and  it  will  take  sensible  preach- 
ing to  convert  the  world."  His  advice  to  young 
ministers  was,  to  "live  right,  and  study  good 
text-books."  The  plan  adopted  by  the  Gen- 
eral Conierence  will  undoubtedly  raise  the. 
standard  of  ministerial  qualification. 


160  BIOGRAPHY   OF 

During  the  session  of  this  General  Confer- 
ence, Jefferson  Davis  was  captured.  The  tele- 
gram announcing  his  capture  was  read  by 
Bishop  Edwards,  causing  the  most  extravagant 
excitement.  The  doxology,  "Praise  God  from 
whom  all  blessings  flow,"  was  called  for,  and 
sung  with  probably  little  devotional  feeling. 
However,  the  high  pitch  of  enthusiasm  soon 
subsided,  and  the  conference  resumed  its  work. 
In  a  short  time  all  traces  of  the  excitement 
had  disappeared.  This  is  a  Yankee  character- 
istic. 

Following,,  immediately,  the  news  of  the  cap- 
ture of  Davis,  was  the  report  of  the  Committee 
on  the  State  of  the  Country.  Lindsey,  of  San- 
dusky, was  chairman.  The  report  of  the  com- 
mittee was  somewhat  sanguinary,  yet  on  the 
whole  was  very  good.  Pending  the  adoption 
of  the  report  it  was  moved  to  amend  by  ad- 
ding the  following: 

"That  we  are  in  favor  of  placing  every  inhabitant  of  the  land* 
black  and  white,  on  an  equality  before  the  law  ;  and  wo  hereby 
pledge  our  influence  and  efforts  to  insure  the  enfranchisement  of 
the  negro  with  all  the  rights  of  an  American  citizen. 

Mr.  Bachtel  could  not  vote  for  the  amend- 
ment, but  favored  the  report  of  the  committee. 
The  conference  would  not  divide  the  question. 
The  yeas  and  nays  were  ordered,  and  a  vote 


JACOB   BACHTEL.  161 

reached.  Eighty  voted  in  the  affirmative,  and 
five,  including  Mr.  Bachtel,  declined  to  vote. 
There  was  considerable  anxiety  manifested  to 
have  the  conference  a  unit  on  the  question; 
but  there  were  a  few  who  would  not  vote  for 
the  amendment.  It  was  not  because  of  any  un- 
reasonable prejudice  against  the  negro  that 
they  refused  to  vote,  but  because  they  doubted 
the  propriety  of  giving  the  elective  franchise 
to  thousands  of  ignorant  and  imbruted  men. 
The  rebels  of  the  South  would  seek  to  control 
their  votes,  and  after  awhile  would  succeed. 
Mr.  Bachtel  claimed  that  ignorance  was  an  el- 
ement of  weakness  in  a  republic.  Further,  he 
considered  that  if  this  question  was  brought 
prematurely  before  the  people  they  would  re- 
pudiate the  great  Union  party,  and  thus  rean- 
imate and  bring  into  power  an  unscrupulous 
and  dying  party,  and  introduce  a  new  and  dan- 
gerous issue  into  the  politics  of  the  country. 
Events  now  transpiring  prove  that  this  fear 
was  real.  Right  or  wrong,  the  people  of  the 
North  can  not,  as  yet,  be  brought  to  the  sup- 
port of  this  policy. 

Another  reason  in  his   mind  was,    that  the 
people  of  West  Virginia  were  opposed   to  no- 


162  BIOGRAPHY   OF 

gro  suffrage,  and  if  he  had  voted  for  it  he 
would  have  increased  the  embarrassment  of 
the  church.  Our  troubles  had  been  great  in 
the  past,  and  Mr.  Bachtel  had  met  the  full 
measure  of  them  in  the  many  years  of  contin- 
uous labor  he  had  performed.  He  was  willing 
to  give  the  negro  his  natural  rights,  and,  when 
it  appeared  that  he  was  capable  of  intelligently 
exercising  them,  to  give  him  any  desired  polit- 
ical rights.  The  people  of  "the  North  were  of 
opinion  that  the  former  master  had  lost  all  in- 
fluence over  the  negro.  He  knew  better,  and 
predicted  that  so  soon  as  the  southern  states 
were  restored  to  their  normal  relations  in  the 
Government,  and  the  excitements  caused  by 
the  war  had  subsided,  the  negro  would  lose  the 
remembrance  of  the  burning  wrongs  he  had 
suffered  through  any  cheap  kindness  the  white 
man  might  confer,  and  instead  of  voting  with 
those  by  whom  he  received  the  blessing  of  lib- 
erty, he  would  vote  with  his  former  oppressors, 
thereby  placing  them  in  power  in  all  the  south- 
ern states. 

Mr.  Bachtel  did  not  live  to  see  his  predic- 
tion fulfilled;  yet  the  grass  had  not  grown  upon 
his  grave  until  the  danger  he  foresaw  in  1865 


JACOB   BACHTEL.  163 

• 

burst  upon  the  country,  making  it  necessary 
for  senators  and  congressmen  to  stump  the 
South  in  order  to  save  the  negro  vote  to  the 
Union  party.  The  toadyism  of  the  politicians 
of  the  South  showed  to  what  extent  they  were 
willing  to  go  to  control  the  freedmen's  vote ; 
and  the  facts,  so  far  as  known,  lead  us  to  the 
conclusion  that,  away  from  the  large  cities  of 
the  South,  the  Republican  party  can  not  de- 
pend upon  the  earnest  support  of  the  negro. 
Mr.  Bachtel  said  it  would  be  so,  and  men 
lauo-hed  at  his  "fears."  He  was  anxious  to 
vote  for  the  report  of  the  committee  without 
the  amendment,  and  felt  sore  that  he  could  not 
do  so. 

He  inferred,  from  the  action  of  those  favor- 
ing the  amendment,  that  they  intended  to  make 
him  vote  affirmatively,  or  else  place  him  in  a 
false  position  before  the  church,  and  so  ex- 
pressed himself  to  his  colleague.  At  his  re- 
quest the  writer  prepared  a  paper  embracing 
his  objections.  On  the  following  day,  after  the 
roll  was  called  and  the  journal  approved,  un- 
der a  question  of  privilege,  the  paper  was  read, 
and  the  request  made  that  it  be  spread 
upon  the  journal,  and  published  with  the  pro- 


164  BIOGRAPHY   OF 

©eedings.  This  provoked  a  spirited  discussion, 
during  which  Mr.  Bachtel  said:  "I  am  hon- 
estly  opposed  to  the  amendment,  but  in  favor 
of  the  report  of  the  committee,  and  wish  to 
vote  for  it.  I  do  not  think  any  less  of  my 
brethren  who  differ  with  me.  I  can  love  and 
pray  for  them,  and  hope  they  will  do  the  same 
for  me."  Said  one  of  the  bishops :  "That  man 
has  a  true  Christian  spirit."  The  conference, 
for  some  reason,  reconsidered  the  report  of  the 
committee,  divided  the  question,  and  then  en- 
abled Mr.  Bachtel  to  vote  for  the  original  re- 
port. He  however,  thought  best  to  vote 
against  the  amendment. 

He  now  expressed  himself  as  being  satisfied, 
as  the  conference  had  set  him  right  before  the 
church.  He,  did  not  seek  this  because  he 
courted  popularity,  but  because  he  did  not  wish 
to  be  charged  with  that  of  which  he  was  not 
guilty.  He  had  fought  too  many  battles  for 
the  doctrines  of  the  report  to  be  opposed  to 
them  now,  and  it  was  natural  for  him  to  be  dis- 
satisfied. 

The  conference  adjourned  on  the  22d  of 
May,  and  on  the  following  morning  we  took  a 
train  for  Chicago.     We  had  a  fine  view  of  the 


JACOB  BACHTEL.  165 

country,  which  is  certainly  grand  in  its  seeming 
boundlessness.  Mr.  Bachtel  had  concluded  at. 
one  time  to  go  to  the  West  to  live.  He  said 
that  he  was  too  old  to  labor  on  the  large  fields 
among  the  hills  of  West  Virginia,  For  this 
none  could  blame  him,  although  every  member 
of  his  conference  felt  unwilling  to  spare  him. 

On  his  return  from  General  Conference  he  re- 
sumed his  labors  on  his  circuit,  with  more  than 
his  usual  industry.  The  writer  attended  his 
second  quarterly  meeting,  which  was  held  at 
Sugar  Grove.  A  very  large  audience  attended 
all  the  time,  and  a  number  professed  religion, 
and  joined  the  church. 


166  BIOGRAPHY   OP 


CHAPTER    XIII. 

Church  trial— a  new  mode — happy  issue — Mr.  B.'s  opinion  find 
influence — raising  money  for  the  printing  establishment — success — 
premiums — great  revivals— building  churches — mistakes  had  been 
made — a  good  report — -his  last — the  music  question — action  of  Con- 
ference— elected  presiding  elder — double  work — dedication  at 
Hartford  City — Mr.  B.:s  dream— is  sick— answer  to  secret  prayer — 
hears  his  last  sermon — reaches  home — thinks  he  is  sick  unto 
death — makes  a  will — gets  worse — says  his  work  is  done — is  re- 
signed— reason  totters — talks  about  death — thankful  for  kind- 
nesses of  friends — sits  at  the  table— death  approaches — his  advice 
to  his  family— sees  beautiful  fields — he  crosses  over  the  river — his 
age — his  funeral  services,  as  per  request — his  character —intellect- 
ual endowments — preaching — economy — action  of  the  Parkers- 
burg  Conference — request  of  Bishop  Glossbrenncr — resolutions. 

A  serious  difficulty  had  grown  up  on  the 
Jackson  Circuit,  threatening  the  life  of  the 
church.  A  day  had  been  appointed  for  an  ad- 
justment of  the  matter.  The  writer,  as  pre- 
siding elder,  took  Mr.  Bachtel  with  him  to  act 
as  counsel  for  one  of  the  parties.  He  was  cho- 
sen by  the  defendent,  Brother  Stutler  being 
chosen  by  the  plaintiff,  and  the  class-leader 
acting  as  the  prosecutor. 


JACOB   BACHTEL.  167 

A  large  crowd  had  assembled,  expecting,  as 
before,  to  be  permitted  to  hear  all  that  was  said 
and  see  all  that  was  done.  However,  a  plan 
had  been  agreed  upon,  and  was  executed,  much 
to  the  chagrin  of  the  scandal-lovers  present. 
All  were  turned  out  except  the  committee,  the 
parties  with  their  attorneys,  and  the  prosecu- 
tor. The  testimony  was  all  written,  and  read 
to  the  witnesses,  so  that  there  could  be  no  mis- 
take. This  was  a  novel  mode  of  trying  an  of- 
fense before  the  church.  Persons  called  in  as 
witnesses  trembled  as  though  they  expected  to 
meet  a  horrid  specter  in  the  court-room.  The 
charges  were  not  sustained. 

A  written  agreement  was  drawn  up  and  all 
parties  concerned  required  to  sign  it,  which 
they  did.  While  they  were  putting  their  names 
to  the  paper,  Mr.  Bachtel  asked  the  writer  to 
sing  a  spiritual  song  commencing,  "We'll  join 
the  Christian  band  and  home  to  glory  go,"  &c. 
While  singing  it,  the  presence  and  power  of  God 
came  down  upon  the  people.  Some  praised 
God  aloud,  while  others  wept.  Those  who  had 
been  in  sharp  antagonism  during  the  trial,  were 
brought  together  under  the  divine  influence, 
and  everything  indicated  that  the  difficulty  had 


168  BIOGRAPHY   OF 

really  been  dispatched.  Said  Mr.  Bachtel,  as 
We  were  leaving:  "I  don't  think  that  you  will 
hear  anything  more  about  this  matter.  Your 
mode  of  trial  don't  suit  these  people,  and  they 
will  keep  out  of  difficulty  in  the  future."  These 
people  greatly  venerated  Mr.  Bachtel,  and  his 
presence  did  much  to  subdue  the  angry  feel* 
ings  of  the  parties.  So  far  as  known,  the  dif- 
ficulty has  never  been  revived,  and,  it  is 
thought,  never  will  be  in  the  future. 

Mr.  Bachtel's  first  work  on  his  return  from 
General  Conference,  Was  to  set  about  raising 
his  share  of  the  publication  fund.  Sixty  dollars 
was  the  amount  required  of  his  charge.  To 
aid  the  work  generally,  the  agents  of  the  es* 
tablishment  offered  premiums  to  those  minis* 
ters  who  should  first  raise  the  amount  assessed 
to  their  fields  of  labor.  With  his  usual  energy, 
he  went  to  work  and  soon  had  seventy-five  dol- 
lars, drawing  the  first  premium  awarded,  which 
was  an  elegant  copy  of  "Watson's  Institutes." 
This  he  greatly  appreciated. 

A  number  of  powerful  revivals  occurred  at 
different  points  on  the  circuit.  At  New  Ha* 
ven  fifty  persons  were  added  to  the  church;  and 
the  meeting   at  West   Columbia  resulted   in 


JACOB   BACHTEL.  169 

nearly  sixty  accessions.  Several  persons  were 
converted  in  the  pulpit — rather  an  unusual  oc- 
currence. The  preliminary  work  of  two  new 
houses  of  worship  was  perfected.  One  of  these 
houses  was  to  be  built  in  Hartford  Citv.  At 
this  point  we  had  some  excellent  members;  but 
they  had  only  a  school-house  in  which  to  wor- 
ship. Years  before,  a  church  had  been  erected, 
but  at  a  cost  so  extravagant  as  to  make  it  im- 
possible to  pay  for  it.  The  house  was  sold,  and 
sadness  filled  the  hearts  of  our  people.  Un- 
der the  careful  management  of  Mr.  Bach, 
tel,  a  new  house  was  commenced  and  carried 
far  towards  completion. 

At  New  Haven,  one  mile  above,  we  had  a 
good  society,  but  had  to  worship  in  a  school- 
house.  Other  denominations  preached  in  this 
house,  and  frequently  made  their  appointments 
conflict  with  Mr.  Bachtel's,  causing  much  un- 
pleasantness. In  view  of  this,  he  determined 
to  build  a  house  at  this  place,  and  during  the 
year  the  work  commenced.  He  also  had  heavy 
repairs  made  for  the  church  at  West  Colum- 
bia, and  built  a  small  chapel  at  "Sand  Hill." 

The  ninth  session  of  the  Parkersburo:  Annual 
Conference    convened    at    Otterbein    Chapel, 
12 


170  BIOGRAPHY   OF 

Jackson  County,  West  Virginia,  March  15th, 
1866.  Mr.  Bachtel  was  elected  chairman. 
He  reported  his  circuit  as  follows  :  Members 
received,  two  hundred  and  forty-two;  increase, 
two  hundred  and  twenty-one ;  salary  received, 
four  hundred  and  eighty  dollars  and  eighty- 
four  cents;  paid  presiding  elder,  thirty  dol- 
lars ;  collected  for  missions,  seventy-seven 
dollars.  Total  collected  for  all  purposes,  one 
thousand  eight  hundred  and  sixty-three  dollars. 
This  was  the  best  report  of  his  life,  and  it  was 
his  last. 

He  was  chairman  of  the  committees  on 
Grievances,  Devotion,  and  Publishing  Inter- 
ests. The  report  of  the  Committee  on  Educa- 
tion was  very  sharp  on  the  use  of  instrumental 
music  in  Otterbein  University,  an  organ  being 
used  in  the  stated  worship  of  the  college.  The 
report  of  the  committee  was  in  favor  of  re- 
moving it  immediately.  It  was  not  the  wish 
of  the  conference  that  the  young  people  of  the 
church  who  might  attend  the  university  should 
be  taught  that  singing,  as  a  part  of  the  worship, 
was  purely  mechanical  and  intellectual,  and 
not  in  any  sense  devotional  and  spiritual,  and 
that   it  was  wrong  to  sacrifice  spirituality  to- 


JACOB   BACHTEL.  171 

mere  taste.  Mr.  Bachtel  coincided  with  this 
view  most  heartily,  and  voted  for  the  report. 
He  believed  in  preserving  the  simplicity  of  our 
worship. 

He  Was  elected  presiding  elder  at  this  con* 
ference.  His  district  was  small,  embracing 
West  Columbia,  Jackson,  Point  Pleasant,  Lu- 
beck,  and  Raymond  City.  In  addition,  he  had 
charge  of  West  Columbia  Circuit. 

He  undertook  the  double  work  reluctantly,  as 
he  feared  that  he  could  not  take  care  of  all  the 
interests  committed  to  him.  He  completed  one 
round  of  quarterly  meetings  and  commenced  the 
second.  The  writer  had  promised  him  to  hold 
two  quarterly  meetings  for  him,  and  received  a 
letter  requesting  that  one  of  them  be  held  with 
the  Point  Pleasant  charge,  the  last  Saturday  in 
July,  and  that  on  the  first  Sunday  in  August  he 
would  dedicate  the  church  at  Hartford  City. 
We  met  in  the  church  on  Saturday.  Both 
were  sick. 

On  Saturday  night  we  put  up  with  Dr.  Meek, 
and  talked  nearlv  all  ni^hk  Mr.  Bachtel  was 
not  only  sick  in  body,  but  greatly  depressed  in 
mind,  caused  in  part  by  the  fact  that  there  was 
a  debt  of  six  hundred  dollars  upon  the  church. 


172  BIOGRAPHY   OF 

He  seemed  to  have  a  presentiment  of  his  death. 
Said  he:  "I  am  not  superstitious,  but  I  had  a 
dream  last  night  which  has  made  a  deep  im- 
pression on  my  mind!"  On  being  asked  what 
it  was,  he  answered  :  "I  dreamed  that  I  died 
and  saw  my  body  after  I  was  dead,  and  I  can't 
say  now  how  it  is  going  with  me" — meaning 
that  he  did  not  know  whether  he  would  live. 

On  Sunday  morning  a  fine  audience  assem- 
bled, summoned  by  the  bell  to  come  to  the  sol- 
emn service  of  dedication.  After  the  sermon, 
in  a  comparatively  short  time,  the  house  was 
free.  Mr.  Bachtel  gave  ^ive  dollars.  Said  he: 
"As  I  was  going  home,  some  time  ago,  I  was 
called  upon  to  marry  a  couple,  for  which  I  re- 
ceived five  dollars.  I  did  not  know  what  to  do 
with  it,  as  I  had  not  earned  it.  While  pray- 
ing in  secret,  the  other  day,  it  was  impressed  on 
my  mind  that  I  should  give  it  to  this  church." 
Perhaps  there  was  not  one  of  that  large  audi- 
ence that  knew  why  he  gave  it. 

In  the  afternoon  Mr.  Slaughter  preached  an 
excellent  sermon  on  Christian  Warfare.  Mr, 
Bachtel  listened  with  marked  attention  and 
was  moved  to  tears,  something  unusual  for 
him.     This  was  the  last  sermon  he  ever  heard. 


JACOB   BACHTEL.  173 

After  services  he  rode  a  few  miles  into  the 
country.  He  reached  home  on  Tuesday,  and 
complained  of  being  very  unwell.  He  said 
to  his  wife:  "I  am  sick,  and  I  don't  think  that 
I  shall  get  well."  She  told  him  not  to  be 
discouraged,  as  he  had  often  been  sick  and  re- 
covered. Said  he :  "That  is  so,  but  I  think  that 
Time  is  going  to  wind  up  with  me  in  this  ill- 
ness." On  the  following  day  he  remarked  te 
his  wife:  "It  has  been  impressed  on  my  mind 
that  I  ought  to  make  a  will,  and  arrange  my 
business  to  suit  myself." 

Mrs.  Bachtel  told  him  not  to  trouble  about 
his  property,  as  he  had  but  little  to  dispose  of, 
and  but  few  to  give  it  to.  He  replied:  "You 
have  been  a  faithful  and  £ood  wife.  You  have 
borne  the  toils  of  our  hard  lot,  and  have  always 
worked  hard  ;  and  if  I  should  die  without  mak- 
ing such  provision  for  your  comfort  as  I  can  I 
would  do  wrong."  On  the  following  day  he 
made  his  will  and  arranged  all  his  temporal  af- 
fairs. Scarcely  had  he  finished  this  work  when 
he  was  thrown  upon  his  bed,  and  kept  there  by 
the  severity  of  his  illness. 

He  told  his  wife  that  his  work  was  done,  and 
there  was  nothing  for  which  he  desired  to  live 


174  BIOGRAPHY   OF 

except  herself.  He  was  very  patient  in  his  af- 
fliction, saying  that  the  religion  he  had 
preached  to  others  comforted  him  in  his  ill- 
ness. At  times  he  suffered  so  much  as  to  cry 
out  in  the  paroxysms  of  pain.  Said  he:  "I 
wonder  how  a  poor  sinner  would  get  along  un- 
der such  circumstances,  when  it  requires  so 
much  grace  to  hear  what  I  suffer."  A  neigh- 
bor called  and  asked  him  how  he  was.  He  an- 
swered :  "  I  think  my  work  is  done,  and  why 
should  I  want  to  live  ?  I  am  more  than  fifty 
years  old,  and  if  I  were  to  live  twenty  years 
more  they  would  be  years  of  sorrow  and  afflic- 
tion. 

The  interests  of  the  church  occupied  his 
mind.  He  said  at  one  time:  "I  would  like  to 
go  down  to  my  circuit  again,  but  it  seems  God 
has  ordered  it  otherwise."  Again  :  "I  some- 
times think  that  God  has  something  more  for 
me  to  do. "  And  when  reason  had  fled,  which 
sometimes  occurred,  he  spent  a  part  of  the  time 
preaching.  Sometimes  he  conversed  with  the 
old  ministers  with  whom  he  had  labored  and 
suffered.  He  imagined  that  they  were  with  him 
as  in  days  of  yore.  He  talked  about  the  death 
of  Rev.  J.  C.  Bright,  saying,  he  hoped  that  he 


JACOB    BACHTEL.  175 

was  a  good  man,  and  if  he  was,  he  was  better 
off. 

He  was  deeply  filled  with  a  sense  of  the  kind- 
ness of  his  family,  and  said  he  would  reward 
them  if  he  could.  At  another  time  he  said : 
"I  don't  know  what  to  think  of  it;  everybody 
who  comes  in  prays  that  I  may  get  well.  They 
had  better  cease  to  pray  for  my  recovery,  and 
pray  that,  if  it  is  the  will  of  God,  I  maybe  soon 
taken  away,  and  that  without  suffering  so  much." 
About  three  weeks  before  his  death  he  in- 
formed his  wife  that  he  wished  to  sit  with  them 
all  at  the  table  next  day  at  dinner.  He  was 
assisted  to  the  table,  and  such  articles  of  food 
placed  before  him  as  he  desired.  It  was  the 
last  time  they  all  gathered  around  the  family 
board.     Els  seat  has  ever  since  been  vacant. 

He  suffered  but  little  for  two  weeks  before 
his  death.  A  gradual  sinking  of  the  system 
marked  the  approach  of  the  end.  He  retained 
the  use  of  his  faculties  to  the  last  moment,  and 
was  wonderfully  supported  by  the  grace  of  God. 
When  it  was  evident  that  he  could  live  but  a 
very  short  time,  Mrs.  Bachtel,  who  had  been 
nerving  herself  all  through  his  protracted  ill- 
ness, gave  vent  to  her  feelings  in  tears.     Real- 


176  BIOGRAPHY   OF 

izing  that  very  soon  her  heart  and  life  would  be 
widowed,  she  felt  that  if  cries  and  tears  would 
keep  him  he  should  not  go.  Looking  up 
calmly  to  his  wife,  and  speaking  with  great  kind- 
ness, he  said :  "Child,  don't  cry.  Just  think  how 
merciful  God  is  in  taking  me  first.  You  can 
do  better  without  me  than  I  could  without 
you ;  and  there  will  only  be  a  few  days  of  sep- 
aration. I  will  watch  you  as  you  come  to  the 
better  land."  Continuing,  he  said:  "I  want 
you  to  bury  me  at  Otterbein  Chapel.  The 
property  belongs  to  the  church,  and  I  think 
they  will  respect  my  grave  there.  I  want  Perry 
and  Warner  to  preach  my  funeral.  Perry 
I  have  known  since  he  was  a  boy,  and  Warner 
is  a  particular  friend."  He  called  his  son  to 
him  and  gave  him  his  last  counsel,  saying: 
"I  want  you  to  be  a  better  man.  0  think 
of  what  I  have  suffered,  and  what  I  would  be 
now  without  the  grace  of  God  to  support  me." 
He  said  to  his  daughter-in-law :  "  I  have  talked 
to  all  and  would  like  to  talk  to  you,  but  am  too 
weak.  If  I  live  until  to-morrow,  I  have  some- 
thing to  say  to  you;  but  this  much  I  say  to  you 
now  :  live  a  Christian." 

He  now  lay  with  his  eyes  closed,  and   con- 


JACOB   BACHTEL. 


177 


tinucd  to  sink  more  rapidly.  Opening  his  eyes 
suddenly,  he  said,  pointing  with  his  finger: 
"What  a  beautiful  grove  I  see!  What  de- 
lightful fields !  0,  if  I  can  find  a  resting  place 
in  some  corner  of  that  delightful  place  ! "  He 
requested  that  his  feet  be  washed.  They  in- 
formed him  that  they  had  been  washed  that 
day.  He  answered  that  it  made  no  difference, 
he  wanted  it  attended  to  again.  While  his 
foot  was  being  washed  he  said:  "This  is  my 
last  hour  on  earth!"  Why  he  had  this  done,  or 
what  he  meant  by  it,  will  never  be  known. 
Mrs.  Bachtel  asked  him  how  he  felt.  He  an- 
swered, significantly:  "All  is  right;  I  shall  go 
to  heaven!" 

Again  he  closed  his  eyes  for  a  few  moments 
and  then  opened  them  and  looked  around  ear- 
nestly at  his  wife.  Said  she:  "Do  you  know 
me?"  He  answered:  "Certainly  I  do,  and 
love  you,  for  you  have  been  a  good  and  faith- 
ful companion."  He  placed  his  hand  up  to  his 
head  as  though  he  did  not  rest  well  on  the  pil- 
low, and  Mrs.  Bachtel  adjusted  it.  He 
then  said:  "That  will  do,"— his  last  utterance. 
He  then  folded  his  hands  across  his  breast 
and  died  so  softly  that  none  knew  just  when  he 


178  BIOGRAPHY   OF 

ceased  to  live.  God  gave  his  servant  a  very 
quiet  passage  "  over  the  river," — a  fitting  close 
to  a  true  and  faithful  life. 

Thus  died  Rev.  Jacob  Bachtel,  October  23d, 
1866,  aged  54  years,  5  months,  and  16  days. 

On  the  first  Sabbath  in  December,  Mr.  Perry 
and  the  writer  attended  the  funeral  services 
at  Otterbein  Chapel.  Mr.  Perry  preached  a 
sermon  founded  on  I.  Thessalonians  iv.,  13-18. 
The  writer  followed  with  a  sketch  of  the  life 
and  labors  of  the  deceased.  It  was  a  deeply 
solemn  time.  At  least  two  hundred  members 
of  the  church  were  ]3resent,  and  occupied  the 
front  seats  as  mourners. 

The  character  of  Mr.  Bachtel  forms  an  inter- 
esting subject  of  study.  He  was  strictly  hon- 
est. None  who  knew  him  would  be  afraid  to 
trust  him  in  any  business  transaction.  He  ivas 
truth/id,  hating  falsehood  with  a  perfect  hatred. 
If  he  ever  detected  falsehood  in  any  man  he  at 
once  ceased  to  trust  him,  or  have  confidence  in 
him  as  a  Christian.  He  was  always  careful  to 
tell  the  truth.  He  was  a  man  of  incorruptible 
integrity.  He  could  not  be  bought,  nor  in  any 
way  induced  to  betray  the  right.  He  cared  not 
for  popularity  which  could  only  be  acquired  at 


JACOB   BACHTEL.  179 

the  expense  of  his  convictions  of  right.  His 
piety  was  uniform,  yet  often  tinged  with  mel- 
ancholy.    There  was  but  little  of  the  emotional 

in  it,  but  much,  very  much,  of  sterling  prin- 
ciple. 

In  the  constitution  of  his  mind  the  faculties 
of  perception  and  reflection  were  nearly  equally 
developed.  He  possessed  a  retentive  mem- 
ory, and  a  ripe  judgment,  and  always  sepa- 
rated the  wheat  from  the  chaff;  and  while  the 
wheat  was  carefully  garnered  for  future  use,  the 
chaff  he  had  no  use  for  whatever.  It  may  be 
said  of  him  that  while  he  possessed  no  bril- 
liancy of  mind  he  possessed  much  solidity. 
His  mind  was  well  stored  with  much  that  was 
valuable  in  science,  history,  and  theology.  "A 
self-made  man,"  left  to  choose  unaided  his  text- 
books, he  showed  a  rare  discrimination  in  his 
choosings.  His  early  advantages  having  been 
very  limited,  he  planned  his  own  curriculum  of 
study,  and  triumphed  splendidly  over  the  rig- 
ors of  fortune.  He  showed  great  mental  indus- 
try, and,  as  a  result,  left  about  five  hundred 
skeletons  of  sermons,  the  coinage  of  his  own  in- 
tellect. 

As  a  preacher,  he  followed  no  knowrn  model. 


180  BIOGRAPHY   OF 

His  sermons  were  sensible,  practical,  and  tear- 
begetting,  pregnant  with  thought,  and  the  un- 
mixed blood  of  pure  evangelism.  The  text  was 
sure  to  be  exhausted ;  every  thought  germain 
to  the  subject  was  examined.  In  the  words  of 
another,  it  may  be  said  of  him:  "He  did  not 
startle  with  his  brilliancy,  nor  lose  one  with 
his  profoundness,  but  talked  with  such  sweet, 
good  sense  on  the  incomparable  themes  of  the 
pulpit,  that  he  never  wanted  hearers,  and  al- 
ways had  his  full  share  of  admirers." 

Mr.  Bachtel  was  about  five  feet,  eight  or  nine 
inches  in  hight,  with  a  slender,  yet  wiry 
frame,  and  an  abundance  of  vitality  and  large 
flow  of  nervous  energy;  indeed  he  could  no 
more  be  still  than  Bruin  in  his  native  forest. 
His  eyes  were  blue,  with  considerable  depth 
and  keenness  ;  and  his  forehead  was  rather  high 
and  bold,  surmounted  with  heavy  masses  of 
bushy,  iron-grey  hair,  showing  no  disposition 
to  retreat,  and  projecting  far  over  his  eyes. 
As  a  whole,  his  countenance  was  interesting, 
and  indicated  benevolence,  firmness,  and 
economy.  Though  as  economical  as  Martin 
Luther,  who  would  not  waste  a  straw  be- 
cause it  might  serve  to  thicken  the  thatch  on 


JACOB   BACHTEL.  181 

some  poor  man's  cottage,  yet  he  was  not 
"stingy,"  but  always  ready  to  give  to  the 
unfortunate  and  needy,  and  for  the  furtherance 
of  the  gospel. 

As  a  circuit  preacher  and  presiding  elder, 
he  had  no  superior,  and  but  few  equals,  in  our 
church.  As  a  financier  he  excelled,  and  was 
sure  to  have  a  good  report  from  his  circuit  or 
district.  His  death  has  deprived  the  members 
of  the  Parkersburg  Conference  of  a  true  friend, 
a  pure  and  good  man,  and  a  wise  and  safe 
counselor.  His  modesty  and  good  sense  made 
him  a  favorite  with  all,  and  his  conversational 
powers  made  him  always  welcome  to  the  social 
circle.  His  death  has  left  the  conference,  the 
church,  and  the  world  poorer  in  moral  and  re- 
ligious worth,  but  has  added  another  pure 
spirit  to  the  "church  of  the  first  born "  in 
heaven.  Sometimes  his  sermons  were  exceed- 
ingly "rough"  "Torn  Paine,"  the  devil,  and 
his  servants  generally,  got  their  due.  He  ab- 
horred the  vender  of  ardent  spirits,  as  well  as 
the  drunkard  who  neglected  his  family  and 
wasted  all  on  strong  drink.  A  friend  once  said 
to  him :  "Brother  Bachtel,  you  use  the  word 
hell  very  often."     He  answered:    "That  word 


182  BIOGRAPHY  OF 

just  fits  my  mouth,  and  I  love  to  speak  just 
such  words."  In  short,  he  had  no  utter- 
ances for  itching  ears. 

The  Parkersbnrg  Conference,  at  its  first  ses- 
sion after  the  death  of  Mr.  Bachtel,  appointed 
a  committee  to  prepare  a  suitable  paper  on  his 
death.  The  following  report  was  read  before 
the  conference,  and  adopted: 

"Whereas,  In  the  providence  of  God  our  dear  Brother  and  feU 
low-laborer,  Rev.  Jacob  Bachtel,  has  been  taken  from  labor  to  re- 
ward ;  and,  whereas,  he  was  never  known  to  do  or  say  anything 
to  bring  reproach  upon  the  holy  office  of  the  ministry;   therefore, 

1.  Resolved,  That  in  the  death  of  Brother  Bachtel  this  confer- 
ence has  lost  a  safe  counselor  and  an  indefatigable  and  able  minis- 
ter of  the  New  Testament. 

2.  That,  as  a  conference,  we  feel  that  we  have  sustained  a  great 
loss,  one  not  easily  repaired;  but,  remembering  the  example  of  our 
departed  brother,  we  will  gird  ourselves  anew  for  the  battle  and 
seek  to  die  as  he  died,  with  our  faces  to  the  foes  of  Christ, 

3.  That  Bishop  Glos3brenner  preach  a  funeral  sermon  on  the 
death  of  Brother  Bachtel,  before  the  conference,  March  17th,  1867, 
at  1<>. \  o'clock,  and  that  he  be  requested,  also,  to  furnish  a  copy  for 
publication. 

4.  That,  as  a  testimonial  of  our  regard  for  the  memory  of  the 
deceased,  the  ministers  an  1  members  of  this  conference  will  place 
a  monument)  with  suitable  inscription)  upon  his  grave. 

5.  That  a  committee  be  appointed,  in  the  usual  way,  to  prepare 
a  biography  of  Brother  Bachtel.  which,  with  such  a  number  of  his 
"  skeletons  of  sermons"  as  may  be  deemed  proper,  shall  be  pub- 
lished in  book  f^rm. 

6.  That  we  give  all  tho  people  among  whom  he  labored  the 
privilege  of  assisting  to  perpetuate  his  memory  in  marble. 

7.  That  to  the  bereaved  wife  and  son  of  Brother  Bachtel  we 
tender  our  warmest  sympathies,  praying  that  the  family  sundered 
by  his  death  may  bo  reunited  in  the  mansion  house  of  our  heavenly 
Father. 


JACOB   BACHTEL.  183 

8.     That  a  copy  of  the  above  he  furnished  the  family  of  Brother 
Batchtel,  and  be  published  in  the  Religious  Telescope. 

In  compliance  with  the  third  resolution, 
Bishop  Glossbrenner  preached  the  sermon 
found  in  the  next  chapter. 


184  BIOGRAPHY   OF 


CHAPTER    XIV. 

A  funeral  sermon,  delivered  at  the  session  of  the  Parkersburg 
Annual  Conference,  March  1 7th,  1867,  on  the  occasion  of  the 
death  of  Rev.  J.  Bachtel, 

By  Bishop  Glossbrenner. 

Text—"  And  hi*  disciples  came,  and  took  up  the  body,  and  buried  it,  and  went 
and  told  Jesus."— Matt,  xiv.,  12. 

These  words  we  find  in  connection  with  the 
death  of  an  eminent  minister  of  the  gospel ; 
one  of  whom  it  was  said,  "he  was  a  burning 
and  shining  light.  "  John  was  the  one  who 
should  come  in  the  spirit  and  power  of  Elias. 
Like  Elias,  John  was  bold  in  reproving  sin; 
and  it  was  on  account  of  his  boldness  in  re- 
proving Herod  for  his  adultery  that  he  in- 
curred the  displeasure  of  Herod's  wife,  who 
sought  his  ruin,  and  was  successful  in  causing 
his  death.  Then  it  was  that "  his  disciples  took 
up  the  body  and  buried  it,  and  went  and  told 
Jesus." 

The  persons  here  spoken  of  were  the  dis- 
ciples of  John,  who  had  sat  at  his  feet  to  hear 
him  preach,  and  were  his  companions  and  fol- 


JACOB   BACIITEL.  185 

lowers;  who  had  received  great  benefit  from 
John's  preaching,  and  were  the  same  as  his  chil- 
dren.    What  was  their  conduct? 

First,  they  took  up  the  body  and  buried  it. 
Abraham,  when  Sarah  died,  purchased  the 
cave  of  Machpelah,  within  whose  consecrated 
walls  her  ashes  might  securely  rest ;  thus  early 
in  the  history  of  the  world  teaching  us  the  les- 
son of  tender  regard  for  the  bodies  of  our  de- 
parted friends.  The  disciples,  following  this 
lesson,  took  the  body  of  John  and  buried  it.  It 
is  then  plainly  the  teaching  of  the  Bible  that  we 
pay  our  tribute  of  regard  to,  the  spot  where  the 
forms  of  loved  ones  rest,  and- from  which,  at  the 
coming  of  Christ,  they  shall  arise  to  eternal 
life. 

Second,  "they  went  and  told  Jesus."  Him 
they  knew  to  be  one  that  their  master,  John, 
while  he  lived,  had  testified  great  regard  for. 
He  was  the  forerunner  of  Christ — he  had 
preached  Christ.  They  knew  that  Christ  had 
a  most  tender  regard  for  John,  and  had  put 
great  honor  upon  him.  He  came  to  John  to 
be  baptized. 

It  was  now  a  sorrowful  time  with  John's  dis- 
ciples.    When  they  were   bereaved    of  their 

13 


183  IUOGRAPHY   OF 

teacher,  whose  instructions  to  them  were  so 
kind,  and  the  manner  of  whose  death  was  so 
tragic,  they  were  like  a  company  of  sorrowful, 
distressed,  bereaved  children  ;  and  what  to  do 
they  knew  not,  unless  it  was  to  go  to  Jesus 
with  their  complaint. 

When  any  are  removed  by  death  who  have 
been  eminent  in  the  work  of  the  ministr}T,  such 
as  are  bereaved  should  go  and  tell  Jesus. 

The  question  is,  "  Was  our  beloved  brother 
such  a  minister  ?"  That  this  question  may  be 
answered  satisfactorily,  we  will  endeavor  to  no- 
tice: 

I.  What  we  know  of  his  character,  la- 
bors, AND  SUCCESS  AS  A   MINISTER  OF  CHRIST, 

And  while  I  shall  give  such  a  representation  of 
the  character  of  our  deceased  brother  as  facts 
will  justify,  let  us  carefully  examine  ourselves7 
and  see  how  far  our  lives  correspond  with  those 
traits  of  his  character  which  are  worthy  of  our 
imitation. 

1st.  We  will  notice  his  awakening  and  con- 
version, in  other  words,  his  Christian  experi- 
ence. 

Having  been  blessed  with  the  teachings 
and  example  of  Christian  parents,  our  brother 


JACOB   BACHTEL,  187 

was,  when  quite  young,  brought  to  see  the  deep 
depravity  of  his  nature,  and  the  importance  of 
an  experimental  interest  in  the  atonement  of 
Christ.  His  conviction  was  deep  and  pungent. 
He  saw  the  exceeding  sinfulness  of  sin,  and  was 
led  to  exclaim:  "  0,  wretched  man  that  I  am; 
who  shall  deliver  me  from  this  body  of  death  ?  " 
During  the  time  when,  as  a  penitent,  he  felt 
the  burden  of  sin  resting  upon  his  soul,  in  pub- 
lic and  in  private,  at  home  and  abroad,  by  night 
and  by  day,  he  ceased  not  to  call  upon  Him  who 
was  able  to  deliver.  He  had  learned  that  no 
works  of  righteousness  of  his  own  could  save 
him;  that  reformation  was  not  enough;  that 
forms  and  ceremonies  could  not  take  away  his 
guilt  of  sin.  He  therefore  continued  to  seek  un- 
til, by  faith  in  Christy  he  experienced  the 
'"  washing  of  regeneration  "  and  "  renewing  of 
the  Holy  Ghost."  Oh  !  that  was  a  joyful  hour 
when,  by  faith,  in  Christ  alone,  he  was  justified 
from  these  things  from  which  the  law  could  not 
justify  him.  His  conversion  was  clear  and 
powerful.  Venturing  the  ii  terest  of  his  death- 
less soul  upon  Him  who  died  for  us ;  who  bore 
our  sins  in  his  own  body  on  the  tree ;  and  in 
whose  blood  complete   redemption   would   be 


188  BIOGRAPHY   OF 

found,  and  the  forgiveness  of  all  sins,  he  was 
led  to  exclaim : 

"My  God  is  reconciled, 

His  pardoning  voice  I  hear; 
He  owns  me  as  his  child, 

I  shall  no  longer  fear. 
With  confidence  I  now  draw  nigh, 
And  Father,  Abba  Father,  cry." 

Oh,  my  brethren!  talents,  education,  elo- 
quence, all  will  not  make  us  successful  as  min- 
isters of  the  New  Testament  unless  we  are  in 
the  possession  of  an  indwelling  Christ.  To  an 
unconverted,  unrenewed  man  God  would  say : 
"What  hast  thou  to  do  to  declare  my 
statutes?" 

2d.  His  exercises  of  mind  with  regard  to 
the  work  of  the  ministry. 

It  was  but  a  short  time  after  our  broth erTs 
conversion,  that  he  felt  impressed  that  he  had 
more  to  do  than  simply  to  work  out  his  own 
salvation.  God  was  revealing  to  him  that  he 
was  to  become  a  minister  of  reconciliation  to 
others.  He  felt  that  he  was  unworthy  of  so 
high  a  calling;  and  so  low  an  estimate  did 
he  place  upon  his  qualifications  for  this  great 
work  that,  had  it  not  been  for  others,  who  were 
regarding  him  with  great  interest,  perhaps  he 


JACOB    BACHTEL.  189 

might  have  clone  as  others  have  clone  who  had 
like  impressions,  but  who  were  disobedient  to 
the  heavenly  calling,  and  whose  usefulness  as 
ministers  was  lost  to  the  church  and  the 
world. 

At  the  time  of  Brother  Bachtel's  conversion, 
young  men  who  were  brought  into  the  church 
were  particularly  noticed  and  cared  for  by  their 
older  brethren.  Their  gifts,  graces,  and  qual- 
ifications were  not  overlooked.  They  were 
noticed,  encouraged,  and  on  suitable  occasions 
they  were  led  to  exercise  their  talents.  Thus, 
while  the  spirit  of  God  was  impressing  upon  the 
heart  of  our  brother  that  God  had  a  work  for 
him  to  do,  the  older  brethren  took  him  by  the 
hand,  counseled,  and  encouraged  him,  until  at 
length  he  was  induced  to  enter  the  ranks  of 
God's  ministers,  there  to  labor  and  toil  till 
removed  by  his  Lord  from  labor  to  rest. 

My  brethren,  while  we  acknowledge  the  im- 
portance of  education,  and  while  we  should 
give  our  countenance  and  support  to  the  insti- 
tutions of  learning  among  us,  we  must  not  for- 
get that  God  can,  and  does,  use  many  as 
ministers  who  have  not  had  the  advantages  of 
a  collegiate  education.     God  does  not  only  use 


190  BIOGRAPHY   OF 

them,  but  he  makes  them  pre-eminently  useful 
in  winning  souls  to  Christ. 

3d.  Brother  Bachtel  was  diligent  in  using  the 
means  placed  within  his  reach  for  the  improve- 
ment of  his  mind.  That  he  gave  attention  to 
reading ;  that  he  was  a  scribe  well  instructed  in 
the  kingdom  of  heaven ;  was  evinced  in  the  ser- 
mons we  heard  him  preach  with  so  much 
profit  to  ourselves  and  others. 

As  a  faithful  servant,  he  diligently  sought  the 
qualifications  necessary  to  enable  him  properly 
to  perform  the  work  to  which  his  Master  called 
him.  So  well  did  he  improve  his  time  in  read- 
ing, meditation,  and  prayer,  that  not  only  did 
the  common  people  hear  him  gladly,  as  they 
did  the  teachings  of  our  divine  Master,  but  the 
wise  and  learned  were  instructed,  and  profited 
by  his  teaching. 

Brother  Bachtel  was  a  man  of  general  read- 
ing. While  the  Bible  was  to  him  the  great 
text-book,  in  which  he  found  "  all  the  words  of 
this  life,"  that  were  able  to  make  men  wise  unto 
salvation,  yet  so  general  was  his  reading,  that 
he  was  ready  to  converse  intelligently  on  any 
subject  that  might  be  introduced  by  his  breth- 
ren, or  with  those  with  whom  he  might  be  as- 
sociated. 


JACOB   BACHTEL.  191 

We  can  see,  from  the  example  of  our  brother, 
what  progress  can  be  made  under  the  greatest 
disadvantages.  When  he  entered  the  minis- 
try he  had  an  education  such  as  could  be  ob- 
tained in  the  common  schools  of  the  country. 
He  was  placed  on  a  field  of  labor  extending 
over  a  large  territory,  and  had  many  appoint- 
ments to  fill  and  much  pastoral  labor  to  perform. 
With  limited  means  to  procure  books,  such  as 
every  minister  should  have,  he  yet,  by  properly 
economizing  his  time,  became  one  of  our  most 
acceptable  and  useful  ministers.  Is  it  not 
frequently  the  case  that  those  who  have  the 
means  and  opportunities  under-value  and  neg- 
lect them,  while  others,  who  desire  to  excel, 
are  denied  these  advantages  ?  But  diligence 
and  prayer  conquer  the  hardest  things. 

A  man  who  has  an  intense  desire  to  obtain 
knowledge  will  not  be  idle.  This  desire  will  ere- 
ate  the  helps  it  does  not  find.  It  will  keep  open 
the  eyes  and  ears,  and  by  lively  action,  and  ha- 
bitual attention,  will  multiply  intellectual  stores. 
It  will  render  every  place  a  school,  and  suffer 
nothing  to  be  lost.  Especially,  my  young  breth- 
ren, you  who  wish  to  render  yourselves  respect- 
able  and   useful   by   the   cultivation  of  your 


192  BIOGRAPHY   OF 

minds  and  acquisition  of  knowledge,  be  encour- 
aged. See  what  others  have  done,  who  never 
enjoyed  the  advantages  of  a  classical  education, 
regular  tuition,  and  ample  libraries.  That 
which  has  been  done  may  be  accomplished,  by 
assiduity  and  the  divine  blessing. 

4th.  'As  an  itinerant  minister,  he  made  full 
proof  of  his  ministry,  and  faithfully  performed 
the  work  of  an  evangelist.  No  difficulties  in- 
timidated him;  no  privations  swerved  him  from 
his  purpose  ;  no  opposition  from  the  wicked  de- 
terred him;  no  worldly  considerations  caused 
him  to  quit  the  field. 

He  entered  the  ranks  of  the  itinerancy  when 
in  the  vigor  of  youth ;  and  with  an  unfaltering 
purpose  to  "fall  at  his  post,"  he  continued  in 
the  work,  until  the  Master  said  :  "  It  is  enough ; 
come  up  higher."  He  was  satisfied  that  if  the 
masses  were  ever  reached  it  would  be  through 
the  labors  of  the  itinerant  ministry.  And  it  is 
true  that  if  the  system  of  the  itinerancy  should 
be  given  up  by  this  church,  and  several  of  our 
sister  denominations,  many,  very  many,  would 
be  deprived  of  the  labors  of  a  living  ministry. 

Brother  Bachtel,  therefore,  when  he  entered 
the  Virginia  Annual  Conference,  declared  his 


JACOB   BACHTEL.  193 

purpose  to  uphold  the  itinerant  plan.  Was  he 
faithful  to  his  promise  made  to  the  conference? 
Let  his  labors  and  privations  as  an  itinerant, 
for  upwards  of  thirty  years,  answer.  Never 
was  he  known  to  refuse  an  appointment  given 
him  by  the  conference.  If  appointed  to  some 
far-off  mission,  or  poor  circuit,  or  was  called 
to  fill  the  office  of  presiding  elder,  it  was  all  the 
same;  he  went  cheerfully  to  his, work,  trust- 
ing in  God  for  success.  Grod  was  with  him, 
and  made  him  a  blessing  to  the  people.  Every 
interest  committed  to  him  by  the  church  was 
attended  to;  and  never  did  he  leave  a  field 
of  labor  in  worse  condition  than  he  found  it. 
His  praise  is  in  all  the  fields  of  labor  traveled 
by  him ;  and  hundreds  will  rise  up  at  the  last 
day  and  call  him  blessed. 

5th.  His  manner  of  preaching  was  plain  and 
pointed.  Whether  men  smiled  or  frowned,  he 
fearlessly  declared  what  he  believed  to  be  the 
teaching  of  the  divine  word.  The  intemperate, 
and  all  who  were  engaged  in  the  unholy  work 
of  manufacturing  or  vending  ardent  spirits, 
whether  professors  or  non professors,  were  by 
him  most  faithfully  warned.  The  profane,  the 
skeptic,  and  the  false  professor,  were  often  made 


194  BIOGRAPHY   OF 

to  tremble  while  listening  to  the  words  of  warn- 
ing that  fell  from  his  lips;  while  his  whole  soul 
appeared  to  be  drawn  out  in  desire  for  their 
salvation.  He  knew  not  "the  fear  of  man  that 
bringeth  a  snare."  Spectators  who  gazed  upon 
his  lifeless  body  might  have  said  what  was  said 
of  John  Knox :  "  Here  lies  one  who  never  feared 
the  face  of  man." 

But,  while  in  his  earnestness  and  faithful- 
ness he  proclaimed  against  all  the  ungodliness 
of  men,  he  did  not  forget  the  story  of  the  cross. 
Often  have  we  heard  him  in  most  delightful 
strains,  with  his  heart  filled  with  love  for  souls, 
and  with  feelings  in  sympathy  with  the  large, 
loving,  and  compassionate  heart  of  Christ,  jxnnt 
the  trembling  sinner  to  the 

"Fountain  filled  with  blood, 
Drawn  from  Emanuel's  veins." 

Yes!  "he  gloried  in  the  cross  of  Christ." 
And  at  the  altar  of  prayer,  in  the  midst  of 
those  who  were  "weary  and  heavy  laden,"  and 
were  earnestly  inquiring,  "What  must  I  do  to 
be  saved?"  Brother  Bachtel  would  be  found 
laboring  with,  and  praying  for  them. 

My  brethren,  your  work  is  not  finished  when 
you  have   delivered  your   message  from   the 


JACOB   BACHTEL.  195 

sacred  desk.  Go  to  the  stricken  man  whose 
soul  is  bound  down  under  a  load  of  sin.  Pray 
with  him;  with  him  weep;  instruct  him;  and 
when  God,  for  Christ's  sake,  forgives  his  sins 
and  appoints  to  him  beauty  for  ashes,  the  oil 
of  joy  for  mourning,  and  the  garment  of  praise 
for  heaviness,  rejoice  with  him. 

6th.  To  the  young  brethren  he  was  a  father 
and  teacher.  He  took  particular  pains  to  correct 
their  errors,  to  explain  to  them  the  great  car- 
dinal doctrines  of  Christianity,  and  encouraged 
them  in  their  work.  Since  his  death,  I  heard 
one  of  our  most  talented  and  useful  ministers 
say,  that  if  he  had  qualifications  to  preach 
with  acceptability,  and  if  he  was  useful  in  win- 
ning souls  to  Christ,  he  was  in  a  great  degree 
indebted  to  the  kind  teachings  and  faithful 
counsel  of  our  dear  brother. 

7th.  He  was  a  man  of  sound  and  discrim- 
inating mind.  In  the  quarterly,  annual,  and 
General  Conference  he  was  a  prudent  coun- 
selor. His  opinions  were  treated  with  respect, 
even  by  those  who  differed  with  him.  He 
never  suffered  a  difference  of  opinion  to  de- 
stroy his  confidence  in  his  brethren,  or  lessen 
his  esteem  and  Christian  love  for  them. 


193  BIOGRAPHY   OF 

8th.  As  a  friend  and  brother,  he  was  faith- 
ful and  true.  By  him  the  character  and  repu- 
tation of  his  brethren  were  held  sacred.  Envy, 
jealousy,  and  spiritual  ambition  were  not  traits 
in  his  character.  Yea !  in  all  the  relations  of 
life,  as  husband,  father,  neighbor,  and  citizen, 
he  exemplified  that  religion  he  so  earnestly 
recommended  to  others. 

9th.  For  some  years  before  his  death  he 
was  much  afflicted ;  so  much  so,  that  his  breth- 
ren would  have  thought  it  right  and  proper  if 
he  had  sought  a  superannuated  relation  to  the 
conference  of  which  he  was  a  member.  At 
your  last  conference  he  told  us  that  he  had 
concluded  to  take  no  field  of  labor ;  but  when 
he  saw  the  greatness  of  the  work  before  you  in 
this  mission-conference,  and  the  scarcity  of 
laborers,  he  told  me  he  would  try  it  once  more. 
He  received  his  appointment,  as  usual,  with 
resignation.  He  went  to  work,  and  continued 
at  it  until  the  dedication  of  the  church  at  Hart- 
ford City,  which  occurred  August  4th,  1867,  at 
which  meeting  he  felt  that  his  work  was  about 
done.  He  went  to  his  home,  no  more  to  leave 
it  until  he  was  removed  to  the  society  of  the 
"  general  assembly,  and  church  of  the  first- 
born," whose  names  are  written  in  heaven. 


JACOB   BACHTEL.  197 

He  was  confined  to  his  room  for  nearly  three 
months,  during  which  time  he  was  calm  and 
resigned;  conversing  freely  with  his  brethren 
who  visited  him,  with  regard  to  his  approach- 
ing dissolution.  For  him  death  had  no 
sting;  the  grave  no  terrors.  He  could  say: 
"Thanks  be  to  God  which  giveth  us  the  victory 
through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ." 

"Life's  duty  done,  as  sinks  the  day, 

Light  from  its  load  the  spirit  flies; 
"While  heaven  and  earth  combine  to  say, 

How  blest  the  righteous  when  ho  dies  1" 

II.  The  reasons  why,  under  such  dis- 
pensations    OF     DIVINE      PROVIDENCE,      WE 

should  go  and  spread  our  sorrows  before 
Jesus. 

1st.  Christ  is  ever  ready  to  pity  the  afflicted. 
It  is  natural  for  persons  that  are  bereaved  of 
any  that  are  dear  to  them,  and  for  all  that  are 
in  sorrow,  to  seek  some  one  to  whom  they  can 
declare  their  griefs.  They  will  seek  some  one 
who  they  have  good  reason  to  believe  will 
pity  them  and  sympathize  with  them.  Christ 
is  such  an  one  above  all  others. 

"One  there  is  above  all  others, 
Well  deserves  the  name  of  friend." 


198  BIOGRAPHY  OP 

Of  Him  it  was  said  of  old,  before  his  incar- 
nation :  "  In  all  their  affliction  he  was  af* 
flicted,  and  the  angel  of  his  presence  saved 
them;  in  his  love  and  in  his  pity  he  redeemed 
them:  and  he  bare  them,  and  carried  them  all 
the  days  of  old."— Isaiah  Lxrn^  9.  When  he 
was  upon  earth  in  his  humiliation,  he  was  the 
most  wonderful  example  of  pity  and  compas- 
sion that  ever  appeared  on  earth.  How  often 
are  we  told  of  his  having  compassion  on  one 
and  another!  When  he  saw  the  multitude  he 
had  compassion:  when  he  saw  the  man  pos- 
sessed of  devils:  when  he  saw  the  bereaved 
mother  following  her  only  son :  when  he  saw 
the  two  blind  men.  And  in  Mathew  xiv.,  14th 
verse,  it  is  said:  "And  Jesus  went  forth,  and 
saw  a  great  multitude,  and  was  moved  with 
compassion  toward  them,  and  he  healed  their 
sick."  His  addresses  to  his  disciples  were  full 
of  compassion:  "Let  not  your  hearts  be 
troubled,"  &c.  His  miracles  were  most  gen* 
erally  performed  in  behalf  of  the  afflicted.  No 
wonder  then  that  the  disciples  of  John  went 
and  told  Jesus.  No  wonder  that  John's  dis* 
ciples,  when  bereaved  of  their  dear  guide  and 
teacher,  with  hearts  filled  with  sorrow,  came  to 


JACOB   BACHTEL.  199 

him  for  pity ;  or  that  Martha  and  Mary,  in  their 
bereavement,  came  and  fell  down,  pouring  out 
their  tears  at  Jesus'  feet.  They  spread  their 
sorrows  before  him.  They  were  assured  that 
he  would  pity  them;  and  they  were  not  disap- 
pointed, for  he  was  most  tenderly  affected  and 
moved  at  their  tears. 

He  was  one  that  could  "weep  with  them  that 
weep."  Yea,  it  was  divine  compassion  that 
brought  him  into  this  sorrowful  world  of  ours, 
and  caused  him  not  only  to  shed  tears  of  pity, 
but  to  pour  out  his  heart' s-blood  for  our  hap- 
piness and  salvation.  When  were  any  re" 
jected  who  went  to  him  for  comfort?  Now 
that  he  has  appeared  in  glory,  there  is  the  same 
encouragement  for  bereaved  ones  to  go  and 
spread  their  sorrows  before  him.  He  is  still 
"  touched  with  the  feeling  of  our  infirmities," 
and  in  his  member  feels  afresh  what  every 
member  feels. 

Afflicted  persons  love  to  speak  of  their 
sorrows  to  those  who  have  had  experience  in 
affliction,  or  in  heavy  trial,  and  know  what  sor- 
row is.  But  there  is  none  on  earth  or  in 
heaven,  who  ever  had  such  experience  of  sor- 
row as  Christ.     Therefore,  he  knows  how  to 


200  BIOGRAPHY   OF 

pity  the  afflicted;  and  especially  may  we  be 
confident  that  he  is  ready  to  pity  those  who 
have  been  bereft  of  a  faithful  minister.  Such 
a  bereavement  is  a  calamity  that  concerns  the 
souls  of  men.  Christ  has  specially  shown  com- 
passion for  souls.  It  was  for  their  salvation  that 
he  assumed  our  nature,  and  suffered  and  died. 
Appointing  such  an  order  of  men  as  gospel  min- 
isters, and  sending  them  forth  to  preach  the 
gospel,  is  an  evidence  of  his  compassion  for  the 
souls  of  men.  Because  of  his  love  for  us,  he 
hath  appointed  ministers  to  watch  for  souls. 
When  such  ministers,  who  have  been  success- 
ful in  doing  good  to  the  souls  of  men,  are  re- 
moved from  us,  we  are  bereaved  indeed,  and 
should  go  to  Jesus  with  our  sorrow. 

2d.  Christ  has  purchased  all  that  persons 
need  under  such  circumstances.  He  has  pur- 
chased all  that  miserable  man  stands  in  need 
of,  in  all  his  calamities.  He  has  secured  com- 
fort for  us  under  every  sort  of  affliction.  There- 
fore he  invites  all  that  "  labor  and  are  heavy 
laden,"  to  come  to  him  for  rest.  This  invita- 
tion may  be  understood  to  extend  to  those  who 
labor  under  any  kind  of  burden  of  sin  and  sor- 
row, and  to  all  that  are  "heavy  laden"  with 


JACOB   BACHTEL.  201 

any  grief,  originating  from  any  cause  whatever. 
Broken,  bleeding,  and  stricken  hearts,  ready  to 
sink ;  for  such  he  has  purchased  divine  supports 
and  cordials.  He  has  purchased  all  needed 
comfort  and  help  for  the  widow  and  fatherless. 
He  has  purchased  a  sanctified  improvement 
and  fruit  of  affliction  for  all  who  come  unto 
him  and  spread  their  sorrows  before  him. 
Are  we  afflicted  in  our  bodies,  or  in  our 
families  ?  Are  lover  and  friend  removed  far 
from  us,  and  our  acquaintance  into  darkness  ? 
Is  the  faithful  minister  removed  ?  let  us  go  and 
tell  Jesus.  He  can  make  up  our  losses,  and 
make  "all  things  work  together  for  good." 

3d.  Christ  is  able  to  afford  all  the  help  that 
is  needed  in  the  hour  of  trouble.  His  power 
and  wisdom  are  as  sufficient  as  his  purpose, 
and  answer  to  his  compassion.  He  can  sup- 
port the  heart  under  the  heaviest  sorrow,  and 
give  light  in  the  hour  of  darkness.  He  can 
penetrate  the  thickest  cloud  with  the  rays  of 
"  heavenly  light."  He  can  give  songs  in  the 
night,  and  turn  the  shadows  of  death  into 
morning.  As  already  stated,  he  can  make  up 
the  loss  of  those  who  are  bereaved  by  the  death 
of  the  most  eminent  ministers.     If  the  great 

14 


202  BIOGRAPHY   OF 

Shepherd  and  Bishop  of  souls  is  but  present, 
how  much  more  is  this  than  enough  to  satisfy 
the  want  of  any  under-shepherd !  Go,  then,  to 
Jesus.  He  has  not  only  a  heart  to  sympathize 
with  you,  but  he  possesses  the  ability  to  help 
vou.  He  is  able,  abundantly  able,  to  fill  up 
the  breach,  and  able  to  turn  all  our  sorrow  into 

joy. 

Permit  me  now,  my  brethren,  to  apply  what 
has  been  said,  to  the  sorrowful  occasion  which 
has  called  us  together  to-day :  even  the  death 
of  that  true  servant  of  God,  who  has  long  been 
so  faithful  in  the  work  of  the  ministry  among 
you.  There  are  many  who  may  well  look  upon 
themselves  as  nearly  concerned  in  this  dispen- 
sation of  God's  providence,  and  sharers  in  the 
bereavement,  all  of  whom  should  be  directed 
by  this  doctrine  to  go  and  spread  their  afflic- 
tion before  Jesus,  that  compassionate  and  all- 
sufficient  head  of  the  church,  and  saviour  of  the 
body — that  merciful  and  faithful  high-priest, 
who  knows  how  to  pity  the  afflicted. 

1st.  It  becomes  the  members  of  this 
church — the  United  Brethren  in  Christ — who 
have  been  bereaved  of  their  eminent  and  faith- 
ful minister,  now  to  go  and  tell  Jesus. 


JACOB   BACHTEL.  203 

A  faithful  and  able  minister  of  the  New  Tes- 
tament— one  that  has,  for  a  number  of  years, 
gone  in  and  out  among  you,  and  who  was  in- 
stant in  season  and  out  of  season,  rebuking, 
exhorting,  and  comforting  with  all  long-suffer- 
ing and  patience — has  been  taken  from  you. 
You  know  how  earnestly  and  faithfully  he  pro- 
claimed to  you  the  word  of  life;  how,  as  a 
father,  he  taught  you  the  great  lessons  of  the 
gospel.  You  know  he  selected  the  most  weighty 
arguments,  and  motives,  to  enforce  and  set 
home  those  things  which  concern  Christian  ex- 
perience and  practice.  You  need  not  be  toLd 
with  what  weight  the  welfare  of  your  souls 
seemed  to  lie  upon  his  heart ;  how,  at  your  fire- 
sides, he  conversed  with  you,  and  instructed  you 
in  the  doctrines  and  practices  of  Christianity ; 
how,  in  your  troubles,  afflictions,  and  tempta- 
tions, you  went  to  him  for  counsel  and  advice, 
and  how  freely  and  kindly  that  advice  was 
given. 

You  know,  too,  his  manner  of  addressing 
heaven  in  his  public  prayers  with  and  for  you. 
Oh,  with  what  humility,  faith,  and  fervency 
he  applied  himself  to  God,  through  Christ, 
when  he  kneeled  in  the  sacred  desk,  as  your 


204  BIOGEAPHY   OF 

mouth  to  God,  and  interceded  for  you;  and 
around  your  family  altars,  how  he  poured  out 
his  soul  to  God  for  you  and  your  families ! 

But  he  is  gone.  You  will  hear  his  voice  no 
more.  You  will  see  his  face  no  more  in  this 
world.  Therefore,  go  to  Jesus,  the  living  head 
of  the  church ;  the  great  bishop  and  shepherd 
of  souls.  Your  faithful  minister  is  dead,  but 
the  blessed  Jesus  lives  for  evermore.  He  lives 
to  provide  for  his  church,  and  to  guide  and  feed 
his  flock.  Go  to  that  Jesus  whom  your  father 
preached.  Go  humble  yourselves  before 
him,  that  you  did  not  more  fully  improve  the 
lessons  he  taught.  Go  beg  of  him  the  sancti- 
fied improvement  of  this  bereavement.  Go  to 
to  him,  beseeching  him  to  make  up  to  the 
church  this  great  loss.  Go  to  him  in  behalf  of 
those  who  are  still  spared  to  you. 

2d.  I  now  speak,  on  this  mournful  occasion, 
to  the  near  relatives  of  the  deceased,  who  are 
most  deeply  bereaved.  The  doctrine  we  are 
dwelling  upon  directs  you  what  to  do  in  this 
dark  and  trying  hour.  You  should  go  and  tell 
Jesus.  Spread  out  your  afflictions  before  an 
all-sufficient  Redeemer.  Particularly,  I  would 
apply  myself  to  the  companion  of  his  youth, 


JACOB    BACHTEL.  205 

who  was  a  sharer  of  his  joys  and  sorrows  for  a 
number  of  years,  and  who  with  our  beloved 
brother  endured  the  privations  of  an  itinerant 
life.  Suffer  me,  respected  sister,  in  your  great 
affliction,  to  exhibit  to  you  a  compassionate 
Redeemer.  God  has  now  taken  from  you  that 
servant  of  his,  who  was  the  nearest  and  be>t 
friend  you  had  in  this  world;  who  was  your 
wise  and  prudent  counselor ;  your  affectionate 
and  pleasant  companion;  who  was  so  great  a 
blessing  while  he  lived  to  you  and  yours,  and, 
under  Christ,  was  so  much  the  comfort  and 
support  of  your  life.  You  see,  my  sister,  where 
your  resort  must  be.  Your  earthly  friends  can 
heartily  feel  for  you,  and  sympathize  with  you 
in  your  loss,  but  can  not  make  it  up  to  you. 
We  must  all  confess  ourselves,  at  best,  to  be 
but  miserable  comforters.  But  you  may  go 
and  tell  Jesus,  and  there  you  may  have 
both  support  and  reparation.  His  love  and 
presence  are  far  beyond  that  of  the  nearest 
and  most  affectionate  earthly  friend.  Now 
you  are  bereaved  of  your  earthly  consort — you 
may  go  to  a  spiritual  husband  and  seek  his 
compassion  and  company.  He  is  the  fountain 
of  all  that  wisdom,  and  prudence,  and  piety, 


2D6 


BIOGRAPHY   OF 


and  all  that  tender  affection  and  faithful  care 
that  you  enjoyed  in  your  departed  consort.  In 
Christ  is  an  infinite  fountain  of  all  those  things, 
and  of  all  good.     In  him  you  may  have  light 

your  darkness,  comfort  in  your  sorrow,  and 
fullness  of  joy  and  glory  in  another  world,  with 
an  everlasting  union  with  your  dear  departed 
one  in  the  glorious  presence  of  the  same  Re- 
deemer "in  whose  presence  there  is  fullness  of 
joy,  and  at  whose  right  hand  there  are  pleas- 
ures for  evermore/ ' 

This  doctrine  also  directs  the  bereaved  and 
afflicted  so?i,  whose  heart  is  filled  with  grief, 
and  who  now  mourns  a  dear  departed  father, 
where  to  go,  and  what  to  do.  You  will  no  longer 
have  your  father's  wisdom  to  guide  you;  his  ten- 
der love  to  comfort  and  delight  you;  his  affec- 
tionate care  to  guard  and  assist  you ;  his  holy 
example  set  before  you ;  and  his  fervent  prayers 
with  and  for  you.  But  in  the  blessed  Re- 
deemer— your  father's  Lord  and  Redeemer — 
you  may  have  much  more  than  all  these 
things.  Your  father's  virtues,  that  made  him 
so  great  a  blessing  to  you,  were  but  the  image 
of  that  which  is  in  Christ.  Therefore,  go  to 
him  in  your  mourning ;  go  and  tell  Jesus ;  tell 


JACOB   BACHTEL.  20 

a  compassionate  Savior  what  has  befallen 
you.  Heretofore  you  have  had  an  earthly 
father  to  go  to,  whose  heart  was  full  of  tender- 
ness toward  you.  But  the  heart  of  the  Re- 
deemer is  much  more  tender ;  his  wisdom  and 
love  are  infinitely  beyond  that  of  any  earthly 
parent.  Go  to  him ;  by  faith  lay  hold  of  him 
as  an  all-sufficient  Savior.  Go  to  him ;  dedi- 
cate yourself  to  his  service.  Oh,  may  you  find 
in  Christ  all-sufficient  grace,  not  only  to  give 
you  present  comfort,  but  to  enable  you  to  fol- 
low your  father  as  he  followed  Christ. 

I  now  address  the  surviving  members  of  this 
conference.  We  may  well  look  upon  you,  my 
brethren,  as  in  an  especial  manner  concerned 
in  this  awful  providence,  and  as  sharing 
largely  in  this  bereavement.  You  have  great 
reason  to  bless  God  for  the  advantages  you 
have  enjoyed  in  serving  in  the  gospel  of  Christ 
so  long  as  you  have,  with  our  deceased  brother. 

As  a  son  with  a  father,  enjoying  the  benefit 
of  his  instruction,  counsel,  and  example;  you 
will  often  recollect  the  faithful  and  affectionate 
counsel  he  gave  you,  to  diligence  and  faithful- 
ness in  your  Lord's  work;  how  often  he  as- 
sured you  that  you  should  have  God's  divine 


208  BIOGRAPHY   OF 

protection  and  guidance  till  your  work  on 
earth  would  be  ended.  And  now,  brethren, 
God  has  taken  him  from  you  as  he  took  Elijah 
from  Elisha,  and  as  he  took  John  the  Baptist, 
the  New  Testament  Elijah,  from  his  disciples. 
Therefore  you  are  now  directed  what  to  do, 
that  is,  to  go  and  tell  Jesus,  as  did  these  dis- 
ciples. In  this  conference  you  have  a  great 
work  devolving  upon  you.  You  have  him 
no  more,  who,  while  he  lived,  was  a  father  to 
you,  to  guide  and  assist  you,  and  who  was  al- 
ways ready  to  take  a  part  of  the  burden  upon 
himself.  Therefore  you  have  nowhere  else  to 
go  but  to  your  great  Lord  and  Master,  who  has 
sent  you  to  labor  in  this  part  of  his  vineyard, 
where  your  aged  brother  labored  so  long,  and 
so  faithfully,  to  seek  strength,  and  wisdom,  and 
divine  influence  from  him,  and  a  double  por- 
tion of  that  spirit  that  dwelt  in  your  deceased 
brother.  Let  us  all  go  to  Jesus,  and  seek  grace 
of  him,  that  we  may  be  faithful  while  we  live, 
and  that  he  will  assist  us  in  our  great  work, 
that  when  we  are  called  hence  we  may  give  up 
our  account  with  joy,  and  not  with  grief, 
and  that  hereafter  we  may  meet  those  who 
have  gone  before  us  in  the  faithful  labors  of  the 


JACOB   BACHTEL.  209 

gospel,  and  that  we  may  shine  forth  with  them, 
"  as  the  brightness  of  the  firmament,  and  as 
the  stars,  forever  and  ever." 

And  now,  servant  of  God,  farewell!  We 
turn  away  from  thy  tomb  to  mingle  with  thy 
spirit,  and  to  transcribe  the  excellencies  of  thy 
life  into  our  own.  We  hail  thee!  Thy  war- 
fare is  accomplished.  Thy  tears  are  all  wiped 
away.  Thou  hast  reached  him  who  was  the 
end  of  thy  conversation — Jesus  Christ,  the 
same  yesterday,  to-day,  and  forever.  We  re- 
joice that  no  man  took  thy  crown.  We  rejoice 
that  thou  hast  left  a  profession  unstained  by 
error  or  vice ;  that,  after  thy  work  was  done, 
thou  wast  permitted  in  thine  own  quiet  home  to 
meet  the  last  enemy.  Thy  dying  pillow  was 
not  perplexed  by  those  anxious  forebodings  that 
have  tried  the  faith  of  many.  The  wife  of  thy 
youth  is  following  hard  after  thee ;  and  the  son 
of  her  womb,  and  the  son  of  her  vows,  we 
trust,  is  resolving,  at  thy  hallowed  grave,  that 
she  shall  not  travel  alone.  And  thy  brethren 
of  the  Virginia  and  Parkersburg  conferences, 
with  a  host  of  others,  are  looking  after  thee, 
saying:  "Our  separation  is  only  temporary. 
A  time  of  reunion  is  hastening  on.     Farewell, 


210  BIOGRAPHY   OF 

farewell!  We  shall  soon  meet  thee  in  that 
world  where  the  voice  of  mourning  will  be 
heard  no  more."  Which  may  God  grant,  for 
Christ's  sake. 


JACOB   BACHTEL.  211 


CHAPTER    XV. 

Effect  of  sermon — a  monument  ordered — raising  the  monument — 
programme — the  audience — description  of  the  monument — inscrip- 
tion— he  sleeps — ballad  and  music,  composed  by  Professor  Diddle* 

The  sermon  of  Bishop  Glossbrenner  had  an 
excellent  effect,  not  only  on  the  members  of 
conference,  but  upon  all  who  heard  it. 

In  accordance  with  the  fourth  resolution, 
Messrs.  Hollister  and  Michaelis,  of  Marietta, 
Ohio,  were  employed  to  prepare  a  monument 
at  a  cost  of  two  hundred  dollars.  It  was  to  be 
made  of  Italian  marble,  and  have  two  inscrip- 
tions. The  contract  was  executed  by  these 
gentlemen  elegantly,  and  on  the  25th  of 
September,  a  number  of  preachers  from  each 
district  met  at  the  Otterbein  Cemetery,  where 


212  BIOGRAPHY   OF 

Mr.  Bachtel  is  buried,  to  place,  with  appro- 
priate ceremonies,  this  monument  upon  his 
grave.  The  following  programme  was  ar- 
ranged and  carried  out  on  the  occasion ; 


1.  Master  of  Ceremonies — Lewis  Bumgarner,  Esq. 

2.  Leader  of  the  Choir — Professor  Diddle. 

3.  Singing — "  Bethany."     West  Virginia  Lute  ;  page  23. 

4.  Prayer — By  Dr.  J.  L.  Hensley. 

5.  Singing — "  Fading    Flowers."     Page    108,    West  Virginia 
Lute. 

6.  Reading  Scriptures — By   Rev.  J.    W.   Perry.     Psalms   ic, 
1-12.     1st  Corinthians  xv.,  12-26.     Revelations  xix.,  1-13 

7.  Singing — "  Evergreen  Mountains."     Page  109,  Lute. 

8.  Laying  the  Monument. 

9.  Siyiging — "Vacant  Chair."     Page  73,  Lute. 

10.  Address — By  Rev.  Z.  Warner. 

11.  Singing — "Bachtel"  Ballad,    composed  by    Professor  Did- 
dle. 

12.  Prayer — By  Rev.  J.  W.  Perry. 

13.  Singing— u  Beautiful  Land  of  Rest."     Page  88,  Lute. 

14.  Benediction — By  Rev.  E.  Harper. 


A  large  concourse  of  people  attended  these 
ceremonies,  and  evinced  a  deep  interest  in  all 
that  was  done.  The  monument  is  of  Italian 
marble,  surmounting  a  double  base  of  polished 
sandstone.  The  hight  of  the  whole  is  about 
ten  feet.  There  are  two  inscriptions  covering 
the  sides  of  the  marble  block  on  which  the 


JACOB   BACHTEL.  213 

shaft  rests ;  one  for  the  family,  the  other  for 
the  conference.  The  inscriptions  read  as  fol- 
lows : 

Rev.  JACOB  BACHTEL 

Died  October  23d,   1866, 

Aged  54  Years,  3  Months,  and  16  Days. 


He  teas  a  devoted  husband,  a  kind  parent  and  consistent  Christian ; 

his  example  pure  and  just;  his  conversation  chaste ; 

in  trials  he  could  say 

"None  of  these  things  move  me,  neither  count  I  my  life  dear  unto  myself,  so 
that  I  might  finish  my  course  with  joy,  and  the  ministry  which  I  have  received 
of  the  Lord  Jeius."     "  My  flesh  shall  rest  in  hope." 


Rev.   JACOB  BACHTEL, 

Of  the  Parkersburg  Annual  Conference.  Converted,  and  joined  the 
United  Brethren  Church,  in  1832.  Licensed  to  preach  in  1833,  and 
received  into  the  Virginia  Conference  in  1834,  and  continued  in  the 
active  ministry  nearly  33  years.  He  was  a  profound  thinker,  a  wise 
counselor,  and  good  preacher.  Many  have  been  led  to  Jesus  through 
his  labors. 

Farewell  I     We  cherish  thy  memory. 


He  sleeps  sweetly  in  his  quiet  home  in  the 
beautiful  valley  of  Mill  Creek.  He  left  in  the 
church  a  reputation  as  pure  as  the  marble  that 


214 


BIOGRAPHY   OF 


marks  his  grave,  and  a  record  of  usefulness 
surpassed  by  none  who  have  preceded  him. 

We  leave  him  in  his  humble  grave,  until  the 
power  of  the  resurrection  shall  touch  his  scat- 
tered dust,  and  remold  it  in  beauty,  and 
invest  it  with  the  undying  energies  of  immortal 
life. 


The  following  lines  and  music,  composed  by  Professor  Diddle, 
of  the  Purkersburg  Conference,  especially  for  the  occasion,  were 
sung  with  fine  effect  by  the  choir: 


1.  Through  perse-cutions  oft  severe,  He  labored  long  with  toil  and  care;  To 


gp^p^i^^^ 


E^AKey: 


5 


2.    On    Zlon's  walls,  his  wonted  place,  He  boldly  stood,  his  foes  to  face,  Nor 


A  Key: 


T2—&   fg      g_ 


i — r~ r 


-f-w 


7T-*= 


Z2^JBr 


CJwrus. 


^         i  rz — m  kj      m 


T=5- 


:cJ.-«Lgfc=zg=: 


jgZTZ 


p  r&  f  : 


cultivate  Immanuol's  ground,  He  fought  until  with  victory  crowned. 

We  laid  him  in  the 


until  death  forbade  him  stay,  Did  he  neglect  to  preach  and  pray.  We  laid  him  in  th« 


xE|     \-s=jl^-PZ& — pT^Ff^-J  \^    (g-j^lJ-prl-p^EB 


aat 


JACOB   BACHTEL. 


215 


silent  tomb,  He  labors  now  on  earth  no  more  ;  Housed  np  in  hia  eternal  home,  He'» 


ga: 


nracza=e=Ba 


^E±EE£e£ 


f  fr 


silent  tomb,  He  labors  now  on  earth  no  more ;  Housed  up  in  his  eternal  home,  He's 


S 


?2=aC 


^"^"T 


i    i      i  I 


j  resting  on  the  golden  shore,  And  in  his  starlit  home  above. 

He  sings  of  Chriet's  redeeming  love. 


resting  ou  the  golden  shore,  And  in  hi?  starlit  hom?  above, 

He  sings  of  Christ's  redeeming  lovo. 


L 


e 


^=T- 


■"zi,  a  ri~w  \  rJ  rri.    m 


fcr-t"— f— a 


3.  His  burning  zeal  no  languor  know, 

For  Christ,  his  cause,  his  tempted  few ; 
At  home,  abroad,  where'er  hii  lot, 
His  much-lov'd  theme  he  ne'er  forgot. 

Chorus  : 


We  love  him  still — hia  memory's  dear, 
And  oft  we've  brushed  the  fallen  tear; 
His  words  of  kindness,  truth,  and  love, 
Will  never  from  our  hearts  remove. 

Chorus  : 

His  counsels,    01  can  we  forget — 
His  kindness  wo  remember  yet ; 
As  our  instructor,  teacher,  friend, 
We  looked  to  him,  nor  looked  in  vain. 

Chorus : 


216  BIOGRAPHY   OF 

6.  He  fought,  but  now  the  battle's  o'er, 
No  conflict  now,  no  trials  soro; 

His  body  lies  beneath  the  sod, 
His  soul  is  resting  with  its  God. 

Chorus  : 

7.  His  bosom  friend  is  left  awhile, 
And  John,  his  only,  favored  child ; 
They're  traveling  swiftly  to  the  tomb, 
And  we  with  them  will  soon  be  gone. 

Chorus  : 

8.  0  Lord  !  help  us  thy  will  to  do, 

With  boldness,  zeal,  and  meekness  too ; 
And  then,  with  all  our  sins  forgiven, 
Conduct  us  to  our  home  in  heaven. 

Chorus: 


JACOB   BACHTEL.  217 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

Skeletons  of  sermons,  composed  and  preached  by  Mr.  Bachtel. 

The  following  skeletons  of  sermons  were  se- 
lected from  bis  pulpit  preparation,  and  are 
given  to  the  public  as  specimens  of  bis 
thoughts.  He  nearly  always  preached  with 
notes  before  him: 

THE  RANSOMED  OF  THE  LOR  I).— Isaiah,  xxxv.,  10. 

I.     We  notice:    Who  are  the  ransomed,  or  redeemed. 

I.  All  men,  in  a  general  sense,  have  "been  redeemed  from  the 
curse  of  the  law.  2.  Those  referred  to  have  been  redeemed  from 
actual  sin — "made  free  from  sin." 

II.  We  notice  next :   The  nature  and  extent  of  this  freedom. 

1.  It  is  freedom  from  the  guilt  of  sin.  2.  From  the  defile- 
ment of  sin.  3.  Fr^m  the  love  of  sin.  4.  From  the  practice 
of  sin.  5.  From  the  power  of  sin.  6.  From  some  of  it3  con- 
sequences. 7.  But  not  all  of  its  effects.  8.  In  heaven  this  re- 
demption shall  be  complete. 

III.  We  notice:  From  what  they  shall  return. 

1.     Temptation.     2.      Persecution;    affliction.     3.     From     th 
world.    4.    From  the  grave. 

IV.  To  what  shall  they  come?    To  "  Zion." 

"Zion"  means:    1.    Sometimes  Jerusalem.     2.    The  church.     3" 
Here  means  heaven.     Heaven  is:  1.  A  place.     2.     A  state. 
15 


218  BIOGRAPHY   OF 

V.  How  shall  they  come  ? 

1.  With  songs.  2.  "With  everlasting  joy ;  all  hearts  will  be 
thrilling  with  joy. 

VI.  The  result  of  their  return. 

1.  They  shall  obtain  joy.  2.  Of  victory,  in  spite  of  determined 
foes.  3.  Gladness;  why  glad?  Sin  and  death  are  overcome,  and 
they  are  safe.  4.  Sorrow  and  sighing  have  fled  away,  seasons 
of  afflictions  are  gone,  never  to  return. 


JUSTIFICATION  BY  FAITH.— Romans  v.,  1. 

I.  We  inquire :    What  is  Faith  ? 

There  are  two  kinds:  1.  Historical — referring  to  the  life  and 
teachings  of  Jesus.  2.  Evangelical — referring  to  the  doctrines  of 
Christ.  3.  What  is  evangelical  faith  ?  1.  Assent.  2.  Desire. 
3.  Trust.  4.  The  act  of  ;faith.  Two  errors— all  the  gift  of 
God — all  the  act  of  the  creature.    It  is  both. 

II.  We  notice:   The  result  of  Faith. 

1  We  are  justified,  while  sinners  are  condemned.  (1.)  By  the 
law.  (2.)  By  the  gospel.  (3.)  Spirit.  (4.)  Heart.  (5.)  All  this 
by  faith  in  Chiist.  2.  We  have  peace  with  God.  Sin- 
ners have  not  peace ;  but  hate  God,  and  feel  that  he  "is  angry  with 
them."  (1.)  This  peace  is  in  our  hearts.  (2.)  In  life.  (3.)  In 
affliction.     (4.)     In  death.     (5.)     In  eternity. 

III.  These  blessings  are  through  Christ 

Christ  is  our  appointed  Redeemer;  uniting  in  his  person  perfect 
divinity  and  humanity.  We  are  justified  (1.)  through  his  merit. 
(2.)  Through  his  death,  which  is  vicarious.  (3.)  Resurrection — 
the  pledge  of  ours.  (4.)  Intercessions — which  are  constantly 
made  for  all,  but  especially  for  the  penitent  and  believing. 


JACOB   BACHTEL.  219 

THE  RANSOMED  OF  THE  LORD.— Ibaiah  xxxv.,  10. 

Isaiah,  in  this  chapter,  gives  us  a  glowing  description  of  the 
purity  and  safety  of  the  church,  and  in  the  text  he  gives  an  ac- 
count of  the  final  salvation  of  the  church. 

L     We  will  notice :   The  meaning  of  the  term  "  ransom." 

1.  To  redeem  a  captive  by  paying  a  price.  2.  In  a  scriptural 
sense  to  redeem  from  sin  and  its  penalty.  3.  There  are  three 
kinds  of  redemption.  (1.)  Common  or  universal — from  the  curse 
of  the  law. — I.  Timothy  n.,  6;  Galatians  ni.,  13.  (2.)  Special 
redemption — from  personal  guilt. — Titus  n.,  14.  (3.)  Eternal 
Redemption  of  soul  and  body. — Revelation  xiv.,  34. 

H.  Let  us  inquire :  Who  are  the  ransomed,  and  from  what  have 
they  been  redeemed  f 

1.  All  have  been  redeemed  from  the  curse  of  the  law,  or  orig- 
inal sin.  2.  "Was  accomplished  by  the  death  of  Christ.  These 
have  been  redeemed  from  actual  sin — have  been  made  free  from 
sin,  and  this,  1.  By  the  blood  of  Christ. — I.  John  i.,  7 ;  Revelation 
v.,  9.  2.  This  blood  imparts  holiness  when  applied  by  faith- 
3,    The  blessings  thus  secured  should  be  esteemed  as  above  price. 


GREAT  SALVATION.— Hebrews  ii.,  3. 
L     The  Nature  of  thie  Salvation.     Not  temporal,  but  spiritual. 

I.  It  is  present.  (1.)  From  sin.  (2.)  The  power  of  the 
devil.  (3.)  From  fear.  2.  It  is  future.  (1.)  From  hell 
(2.)  In  heaven.  3.  It  is  a  great  salvation.  (1.)  Be 
cause  of  its  origin ;  heaven  a  great  place.  (2.)  Because 
of  its  author. — Hebrews  v.,  9.  (3.)  Because  of  its  price — Christ's 
blood.  (4.)  Because  of  its  design — the  salvation  of  man.  Be- 
cause of  1.  His  faculties.  2.  Researches.  3.  Inventions. 
4.  Discoveries.  (5.)  Because  of  its  effects.  (6.)  Because  it  i* 
free — you  need  not  buy  it.  (7.)  Because  it  is  universal. 
(8.)     Because  it  is  perfect.     (9.)     Glorious.     (10.)     Eternal. 

But  it  is  neglected.     I  notice: 

II.  Some  reasons  why  it  is  neglected. 

1.    Some    neglect    it    through    unbelief.     (1.)     Atheist.     (2.) 


220  BIOGRAPHY   OF 

Deist.  (3.)  Jews.  2.  Some  through  ignorance.  3.  Others 
through  pride.  4.  Fear.  5.  Shame.  6.  Love  of  the  world- 
7.     Inconsideration.     8.     Procrastination. 

III.     The  consequences  of  neglecting  this  salvation. 

How  shall  we  escape,  1.  The  judgment  of  God.  2.  Damna- 
tion of  hell.  There  is  a  hell,  and  the  sinner  must  go  there.  There 
is  no  way  to  escape,  or  get  out.  The  sinner  can  not  swear  out,  or 
break  out;  nor  can  he  bribe  the  jailor.  He  can  not  destroy  him- 
self.    Your  friends  can't  pray  or  help  you  out. 


CHKIST  OUR  LIFE.— Colossians  in.,  4. 

I.  The  character  described  hi  the  text.     Christ. 

Who  is  Christ?  The  son  of  God.  He  is,  1.  Di- 
vine. 2.  Eternal.  3.  Our  Eedeeruer.  4.  Our  Mediator  and 
Saviour. 

II.  How  is  Christ  our  life  ? 

He  is  the  author  of.  1.  Our  rational,  life.  2.  Spiritual  life. 
3.  Eternal  life.  4.  He  died  and  rose  from  the  dead  to  give  us 
this  life.  5.  He  ascended  to  heaven,  and  intercedes  for  us  thut 
we  may  have  this  life. 

He  is  the  life:  1.  Of  our  peace.  2.  Comforti.  3.  Joys.  4. 
Prayers.     5.     Worship.     6.     Of  our  happiness  in  heaven. 

III.  Notice  his  advent. 

1.  He  will  come.  Proofs.  2.  This  will  be  the  end  of  time 
3.  How  ?  With  majesty  and  glory.  4.  For  what  will  he  come  ? 
(1.)  To  put  an  end  to  time.  (2.)  The  means  of  grace.  (3.)  To 
raise  the  dead.  (4.)  To  judge  the  world.  (5.)  To  destroy  the 
wicked.  (G.)  To  put  a  final  end  to  the  sorrows  of  Christians.  (7.) 
To  destroy  the  false  hopo3  and  pleasures  of  sinners. 

IV.  Who  shall  aj)pear  with  him  in  glory  ? 

1.  Not  the  infidel;  not  the  profligate;  not  the  dishonest;  Lot 
the  formalist  and  hypocrite ;  not  the  unconverted  and  backslider- 
2.  But  the  true  Christian.  Those  who  have  (1.)  been  raised  with 
Christ ;  verse  1st.    (2.)    Who  are  dead  with  Christ ,  verse  3d.    (3.) 


JACOB   BACHTEL.  221 

Whose  lives  hid  with  Christ  in  God ;  verse  3d.  3.  Wh.it  is  glory ; 
and  when  and  where  shall  we  appear  with  Christ  in  glory?  (1.) 
In  judgment;  when  the  true  character  shall  bo  known — every  dn- 
guise  will  be  torn  off,  and  all  will  know  and  appreciate  the  people 
of  God.  (2.)  In  heaven.  Here  they  "know  in  part,  but  when 
that  which  is  perfect  is  come,  they  shall  know  as  they  are  known." 

APPLICATION. 

1.     Christ  will  come.    2.    Are  we  ready  ?    3.    All  must  meet  the 
responsibilities  of  that  hour. 


THE  LOVE  OF  GOD  TO  MAN.— John  in.,  16. 
I.     We  will  notice :  The  object  of  the  love  of  God.     "  The  world." 

I.  What  world,  as  there  are  many  worlds?  Not  the  sun, 
moon,  nor  stars.  Not  heaven.  Not  hell,  for  fallen  angels  and 
lost  spirits  are  there.  2.  But  this  world.  (1.)  The  condition  of 
it  then — guilty,  dark,  and  wretched.  (2.)  Condition  of  it  now- 
hopeful,  for  God  still  loves  it. 

II.  The  evidence  of  this  love.     "Gave  his  r   &c. 

1.  Prove  the  divinity.  By  his  birth;  his  disputes  wi'h 
the  doctors  in  the  Temple ;  his  baptism  ;  his  miracle.-  ; 
his  prophecies;  his  resurrection.  2.  To  what  he  gave 
him.  To  poverty — "Ye  know  the  grace,"  &c.  Temptation — 
tempted  of  the  devil  forty  days.  Persecution — Pharisees  said  he 
had  a  devil.  Pain  and  anguish— in  the  garden,  &c.  Death- 
slain  on  the  cross.  3.  For  what  did  he  give  him?  To  be  our 
teacher;  our  example;  our  Iledeemer  ;  to  save  us   from   perishing. 

III.  Notice:   The  nature  of  his  love. 

1.  It  is  disinterested.  Jesus  did  not  add  to  the  essential  glory 
of  Deity.  2.  Unmerited.  Man  had  no  natural  claim,  for  all 
relationship  had  been  broken  off  by  man's  disobedience.  3.  It  is 
free.  Without  money  and  price.  Free  as  the  sun  shines.  4. 
It  is  universal.  "Whole  world."  5.  It  is  unparalleled.  Such  love 
was  never  known  before.  6.  It  is  wonderful  and  incomprehen- 
sible. 


222  BIOGRAPHY  OF 

IV.  The  design  of  God's  love.     "  That  we,"  &c. 

1.  That  we  might  not  perish — might  not  taste  the  bitterness  of 
the  second  death.  2.  Have  everlasting  life.  (1.)  When?  At 
the  end  of  oar  probation;  only  spiritual  life  now.  (2.)  Where?  In 
heaven.     (3.)     The  nature  of  it — purity,  knowledge,  and  power. 

V.  How  we  may  avail  ourselves  of  the  precious  benefits  of  this 
ove.     "  That  whosoever  believeth  on  him,"  &c. 

1.  By  faith.  What  kind  ?  That  which  trusts  God  and  Christ. 
2.  Without  faith  on  our  part,  Christ's  death  is  lost  to  us.  (1.)  In 
life,     (2.)     In  death.     (3.)     In  eternity. 

Do  we  believe  on  Christ?  If  so,  does  this  faith  purify  our 
hearts? 


REPENTANCE    PRECEDING    THE     JUDGMENT.— Acts 

XVII.,  30,  31. 

I.     The  nature  of  repentance. 

I.  It  implies  knowledge  of  sin.  2.  Sorrow  for  sin — godly  sor- 
row. 3.  Confession  of  sin — to  God  always,  and  to  man  some- 
times. 4.  Departure  from  sin — not  cherish  it.  5.  A  hatred 
of  sin — to  prevent  a  relapse.  £.  Restitution.  If  you  have  robbed 
or  wronged  any — one  must,  if  able,  restore;  if  unable,  express  a 
willingness  to  do  so.     7.     Faith  in  the  authority  which  requires  it 

II.  Let  us  inquire  :      When  we  should  repent 

1.  We  can  not  repent  in  hell.  2.  We  can  not  repent  at  the 
judgment.  It  is  improper  there.  3.  Should  not  wait  till  death. 
4.  Not  until  old  age  comes  on.  Then  the  brain  has  softened,  and 
the  habits  are  formed,  and  become  congealed.  5.  We  should  re- 
pent in  youth.  Then  the  mind  is  most  susceptible  of  religious  im- 
pressions. (1.)  To  this  wo  are  commanded.  (2.)  It  is  easier. 
(3.)  It  is  better.  We  can  avoid  the  crime  and  shame  of  a  mis- 
spent life.     (4.)     Repent  now.    It  is  an  accepted  time. 


JACOB   BACHTEL.  223 

III.  Who  should  repent  ?     "  All  men,  everywhere." 

1.  Persons  of  all  ages.  2.  Of  both  sexes.  3.  Of  all  classes,  or 
mental  grades.     4.     Of  all  moral  grades. 

IV.  Why  should  we  repent  ? 

For  two  reasons  :  1.  God  commands  it.  What  He  commands 
is  right.  He  has  the  authority.  Man  dare  not  resist.  2.  Be- 
cause of  the  judgment  He  has  appointed.  (1.)  The  time.  (2.) 
Place — somewhere  between  earth  and  heaven.  (3.)  The  judge— 
the  man  ordained. 

Who  are  to  be  judged?     1.     Men.     2.     Devils. 

The  rule  of  judgment:  Books  are  opened.  1.  Book  of  con- 
science. 2.  The  law.  3.  The  gospel.  4.  Life.  5.  God's  re- 
membrance. 

V.  The  issue  of  the  judgment. 

1.  The  people  separated.  The  tenderest  relationship  will  be 
sundered.  2.  The  truly  pious  will  be  rewarded.  Having  sowed 
"  to  the  spirit,  they  reap  life  everlasting."  3.  The  wicked  pun- 
ished; driven  away  in  their  wickedness  to  a  place  of  ever-ex- 
panding  misery. 


SINNERS  STRIVING  AGAINST  GOD— Isaiah  xiy..  9. 

1.  The  Christian  is  a  traveler  ;  so  is  the  sinner.  2.  The  Chris- 
tian is  a  husbandman ;  so  is  the  sinner.  3.  The  Christian  is  a 
soldier;  so  is  the  sinner. 

I.     Consider :     How  sinners  strive  with,  or  oppose  God. 

1.  By  denying  his  existence.  The  atheist  does  this.  2.  By 
transgressing  his  law.  3.  By  opposing  the  gospel.  4.  By  op- 
posing religious  seriousness.  5.  By  disobeying  conscience.  6. 
By  rebelling  against  Providence.  7.  By  ]  ersecuting  his  people 
(as  did  Saul  of  Tarsus).  8.  By  trying  to  prevent  the  spread  of 
truth. 

1.  Many  strive  with  God. 

2.  Why  do  men  strive  with  their  Maker  ? 


224  BIOGRAPHY   OF 

1.  The  carnal  mind  is  enemy  to  God. 

2.  Earthly  pleasures  intoxicate. 

3.  Present  gratifications  engross  the  senses.  This  is  :  1.  Shame- 
ful. 2.  Ungrateful.  3.  Unreasonable.  4.  Wicked.  5.  Dan- 
gerous.    6.     Kuinous. 

II.  Consider:  The  remit  of  opposing  God.  "  Wo  unto  him." 
1.  Grief.  2.  Sorrow.  3.  Misery.  4.  A  withering  curse. 
This  curse  the  sinner  will  have  to  endure.  (1.)  In  life.  He  suf- 
fers many  physical  and  mental  evils,  which  Christians  do  not.  (2.) 
In  death  sinners  die  with  certainty  of  endless  suffering,  torturing 
the  heart  and  conscience.  (4.)  In  eternity  all  is  blackness.  No 
vhite-winged  angel  of  mercy  will  ever  visit  him. 


CHRISTIANS  HATED.-Mathew  x.,  22. 

I.  The  persons  addressed. 

Christ's  disciples.  They  were  Christians,  and  known.  1.  By 
their  faith  in  God's  plan  of  saving  souls.  2.  Love  for  one  an- 
other. Wear  this  as  a  jewel  of  the  heart.  3.  By  their  prayerful- 
ness.     4.     Good  fruits,  in  which  they  abound. 

II.  By  whom  are  they  hated? 

By:  1.  Hypocrites.  2.  Infidels.  3.  Jews.  4.  Mohammedans. 
5.  The  devil.  6.  Our  relations,  sometimes.  7.  Hated  for 
Christ's  sake.     Not  for  bad  deeds. 

III.  What  they  have  to  endure. 

1.  Temptation,  caused  by  men  and  Satan.  2.  Persecu- 
tion; misrepresentation.  3.  Sometimes  poverty.  4.  Troubles. 
5.     Bereavements.    6.     Affliction  and  death — "  to  the  end." 

IV.  The  promise,  "  shall  be  saved" 

1,  Saved  from  their  distresses;  from  all  that  makes  life  gloomy 
and  painful.  2.  Saved  in  heaven;  be  surrounded  with  all  its 
bliss,  and  beauty,  and  power.  3.  Saved  eternaliy.  Nothing  can 
disturb  or  destroy  the  security  of  the  "saints  in  light." 


